


God Has a Sense of Humor

by andprosper



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-11-04
Updated: 2014-11-04
Packaged: 2018-02-24 02:45:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 12
Words: 42,111
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2565428
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/andprosper/pseuds/andprosper
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Loki tries to steal a mysterious green item that ends up sending him and the Avengers into an alternate universe. Unfortunately, they don't remember who they are and start living these lives that aren't their own - at a high school with Steve as the new kid, Tony as the popular rich kid, and Loki as the troublemaker with only one friend. Some relationships lasted through the transference, some were changed, and new ones will be formed, particularly when Steve finds himself trapped between Loki's loner world and Tony's party world.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. God Has a Sense of Humor

**Author's Note:**

> Strongly inspired by high school films, particularly Mean Girls and Easy A. And yes, you will notice. It's very strong in the first couple of chapters and then fades quite a bit. 
> 
> Here is the fanmix http://murtaghs-rose.livejournal.com/4917.html done by the amazing murtaghs-rose. 
> 
> I would like to thank my awesome beta, Sevlin at herbackhurts.tumblr.com

“Stark! Stark! Tony!”

 

Tony groaned and rolled off the car, landing on his hands and feet on the glass-littered concrete. Damn, that guy had a temper. He opened his mask, a small piece of the helmet falling off as he did so. His head was pounding and there was a dent in the mask where his nose was. He ran a hand over his face and came back with blood. Figures.

 

He sat up on his knees and looked at the building above him. After he rose shakily, he took another glance around – Steve and Bruce – well, the Hulk - were running from the entrance towards him and Thor was looking out the broken window above him – no doubt searching for his brother. Attempting to clear his head, Tony rubbed his eyes and blinked a few times at something on the ground. It was some sort of shard, glowing an odd green. He bent over to pick it up when he heard Steve yell his name again – that blond boy-next-door was always worried about something. He swiped the object from the ground to show the old man there was nothing to worry about, but he felt a strange pull in his chest and the world swirled around him.

 

***

 

“Tony! Hung over again?” Tony jumped at the sound of his teacher’s voice, wincing at the shrillness of it. He’d had his head on his desk, locked in a strange dream, trying to sleep away  his hangover. It was the worst hangover he’d ever had – his head was throbbing wildly and his body ached. It felt like someone had cut him with a knife all over – if he didn’t know better, he’d say he’d been thrown out of a building. What sort of drink had he had? “Would you like to go to Principal Fury’s office again?”

 

“Not really,” Tony ran a hand through his hair and folded his arms. “I think he’s getting too used to my visits and I like to keep people on their toes.”

 

“Tony,” Pepper hissed from the seat beside him.

 

“Detention, Mr. Stark. Today after school.”

 

“I’ve already got detention today,” he leaned back in his chair and stared at Ms. Hill.

 

“Then tomorrow,” she added and turned back to the board.

 

“Tomorrow, too.”

 

This caused her to turn back to him with a raised eyebrow. “Then add a detention whenever you’re next available.”

 

“I’ll pencil it in,” he snarked and she seemed to consider him for a moment before returning to teaching. It probably wasn’t worth punishing him again. It never worked anyways.

 

“Tony, you can’t keep doing this. You’re going to end up suspended,” Pepper scolded him after class, having sent him disapproving glances up until then. He’d successfully ignored them.

 

“I actually like being suspended. Gives me more time to work on things that actually matter.”

 

“You need to keep yourself under control.”

 

“No, I don’t, actually.”

 

“Yes, you do. If you want to graduate-“

 

“If you didn’t notice, I’m at the top of the class-“

 

“And you’re in detention every day-“

 

“I like detention. It gives me time to think-“

 

“And you fall asleep in class-“

 

“I’m busy at night. The teachers just waste my nap time with their inane lectures-“

 

“You’re not smarter than the teachers, Tony-“

 

“Actually, you’ll find that I am-“

 

They’d started talking over each other again, both trying to get a word in and neither willing to stop talking long enough to listen. Pepper had been Tony’s friend since elementary school – the only one who’d been able to put up with him for a long period of time and the only one who was willing to attempt dragging him back to humility. (It didn’t work.) Sure, he had lots of people who wanted to be his friend – sycophants hanging around him hoping to be absorbed into his world, and there was his neighbor, Rhodey, but he didn’t get to see him much anymore. However, Pepper could care less about his overly priced cars, his access to excessive amounts of alcohol, or his high-level tinkering. This led Tony to believe she actually liked him, despite their constant bickering.

 

They were still arguing when Tony saw a tall, vaguely familiar blonde out of the corner of his eye.

 

“And if you get expelled-“

 

“Who is that?”

 

“Who?” Pepper turned immediately, showing she was keeping up with Tony, a feat not accomplished by many.

 

“The tall one,” he pointed.

 

“That’s Steve Rogers. He was in my history class this morning. And don’t change the subject from your behavioral issues.” They walked into the cafeteria and Pepper took her usual seat with her packed lunch. Tony sidled into the line to buy a la carte. When he returned, Pepper looked disdainfully at his meal.

 

“You can’t keep eating fried chicken and pizza,” she reprimanded, setting her own lunch in front of her.

 

“I think I’ve got more things to worry about before I start worrying about cholesterol,” he sent back, but she didn’t take the bait – rather she went to her second most used reaction to him – a long sigh.

 

“Hey, handsome. How are you doing?” Tony smirked up at Bruce when he approached. Bruce rolled his eyes, but smiled in amusement.

 

“What are you trying to butter me up for?”

 

“Nothing,” Tony replied innocently.

 

“Tony got another detention,” Pepper told him, annoyance seeping into her tone.

 

Bruce shrugged. “What else is new?”

 

Tony glanced up and saw the new blond student near the end of the lunch line. Steve Rogers had entered the cafeteria when Tony had been distracted by his fried chicken. He was now looking for a place to sit. “The new guy, what’s he like?”

 

Pepper was looking over at him now, too. “Seems like a nice guy. Really down to earth. One of those gold star types, not that you would understand that,” she turned her gaze to Tony and her brow furrowed at the expression on his face. “No, Tony.”

 

“What?” He asked innocently.

 

“I know that face.”

 

“What face?”

 

“The face you’re making right now!”

 

“I’m not making a face. This is the face I always have.”

 

“No.”

 

“I don’t know what face you’re talking about.”

 

“You do know what I’m talking about.”

 

“No idea. You’re a complete enigma to me.”

 

They had descended into their arguing again – Tony maintained his complete innocence. Pepper knew better. Bruce just watched their banter as he ate his pizza. “Tony, I know you think that everyone can be corrupted-“

 

“They can.”

 

“But it’s not your job to go around introducing them to-“

 

“I’m just preparing them.”

 

“Leave him alone.”

 

“Don’t you think that’s generous of me? Showing them what’s out there?”

 

“Not everyone can be corrupted by alcohol, and pornography, and drugs, and-“

 

“They can. I’m working on proving that theory,” Tony started to stand up, but Pepper grabbed his sleeve.

 

“Tony, sit down right now,” Pepper commanded in her “Tony-will-obey-me voice.” She pulled it out when she really disapproved of his actions and, for some reason, it actually caused him to falter. Seeing that Pepper was that serious about it, Tony sat back down. He could avoid messing with the new kid, at least when Pepper was around, if it was going to piss her off that much. In truth, Tony didn’t mind if Pepper disapproved of something he did – if he did, he’d probably be much better behaved. But he couldn’t stand when she was mad at him.

 

“All right, well, if you don’t want me to-“ Tony started.

 

“I don’t want you to,” she replied firmly.

 

“Pepper! Tony! Bruce! My friends!” Thor appeared at their table, smiling jovially to them. “I hope you are coming to the game tomorrow night!”

 

“Wouldn’t miss it for the world,” Tony smiled around his mouthful of pizza. Thor sat down next to Tony, and dropped his overly full tray down. Tony ignored him as he started eating. “So, Pepper, are you going to homecoming?”

 

“No,” she replied lightly.

 

“Really? I was going to ask you.”

 

“Tony, every time I go to a dance with you, I end up dragging you home trying not to get vomit on my shoes.”

 

“That’s not fair. It only happened once and I bought you new shoes.”

 

“It shouldn’t have even happened once – and you can’t buy forgiveness, Tony.”

 

“Pepper, if you don’t go with me, who knows what I could do? Who would keep me from doing anything bad or get me home if I get drunk?”

 

Pepper sighed and shut her lunchbox. “Fine, Tony, but maybe you should try taking a real date sometime and you can throw up on her shoes.” She stood up and started walking away.

 

“You are my real date!” Tony called jokingly after her. He liked going places with Pepper – she could always be trusted to get him home. He’d had his fair share of dates with mindless bimbos interested in his money or his status, but he threw them off pretty quickly. He didn’t need or want a girlfriend, really. But he did need a backup for Pepper in case she ever chose to go through with her threats not to take him home or make sure he didn’t get expelled. But where the hell could he find someone who would put up with him?

 

“Do not worry, my friend. One day she will understand your affections for her,” Thor clapped him on the back.

 

“Thanks, Fabio,” Tony replied, looking around for that new student now that Pepper was gone. Not seeing him, Tony got to his feet. “I’m getting cheese fries.”

***

“I can tell you’re lying, Loki,” Natasha deadpanned as they walked down the halls.

 

“I’m telling the truth for once. I don’t know why you don’t believe me,” Loki responded, offended that she wouldn’t believe him now that he was being honest for once. He couldn’t exactly blame her. He wasn’t known for the truth.

 

“You did not see someone get hit by a bus.”

 

“I said almost,” he retorted. “He was fairly attractive, too. It would have been a shame.”

 

Natasha raised an eyebrow, smirking knowingly. “Now that’s something. If I’m translating correctly here, in Loki-speak, that means he’s gorgeous.”

 

Loki shrugged easily. “Your words, not mine.”

 

“You still haven’t given up, have you, Loki?” A voice asked behind him – the president of the Christian group at the school. He just grinned wickedly at her.

 

“Good to see you, too, Allison.”

 

“Amora,” she corrected in annoyance. “I had hoped you’d stopped this nonsense in eighth grade. I wish you would just come to one of our prayer groups.”

 

“Yeah, you know,” Loki made an effort to look conflicted. “I would, but I’ve got this thing after school where I’m fucking loads of men. So…” he shrugged with a false look of regret, “you know. Takes up most of my time.”

 

Natasha smirked at the horror on Amora’s face. “What was the name of that guy you were with this weekend, Loki?” She asked with fake curiosity.

 

“George. He was very charming. A real gentleman. You know,” Loki grinned wickedly, “until he got my clothes off.”

 

Amora looked like she might be physically ill. “I don’t need to hear anymore!” She snapped, but then forced a fake smile, looking smug, like she knew something Loki didn’t. “I’m not the one you have to answer to for your depraved behavior. There’s a higher power that will judge you for your indecency.”

 

Loki sneered a bit. “Tom Cruise?” He deadpanned.

 

She was not amused by his joke. “I hope for your sake, God has a sense of humor.”

 

“Oh, I have seventeen years worth of anecdotal evidence that says he does.”

 

“You’ve made your bed. I just hope that for your sake, you cleaned the sheets.” Amora snapped and stormed off, red-faced.

 

“Did I just get saved?” Loki called after her and then looked at Natasha. “That was fun.”

 

“A little,” she admitted with a slight shrug. “What did you really do this weekend?”

 

“Nothing. You?”

 

***

 

Steve supposed it should be normal to be nervous on your first day of school. But normally that happened when a kid was five – not sixteen. He hadn’t wanted to leave his old life – not Peggy, not Bucky…but after his mother passed away he had to go live with his nearest relative. He’d been homeschooled his entire life and now had to enter the realm of public school at a late age. So it was goodbye, New York and hello, public school.

 

He rode with his grandmother to his first day of school - making a note to tell her he’d take the bus for the school year. Steve leaned towards the window as she pulled up in front of the building. People were on the lawn talking and goofing off. Others were chatting as they walked from their buses and cars. It might not be so bad. He could make friends here. After a goodbye to her, he finally got out of the car and started walking across the street- almost to be hit by a bus. His grandmother screamed in shock, but Steve just put on a smile for her. He really needed to pay attention. He should have seen it coming – it wasn’t like New York lacked traffic or pedestrians.

 

“I’m okay. Sorry. I’ll be careful,” he reassured his grandmother. He walked up the sidewalk as she drove off. He looked at the scenery around him nervously – everything seemed to be chaos. Steve didn’t like the looks of the hefty jocks sneering at everyone – he’d always gotten beaten up in his old neighborhood. He avoided eye contact and jogged up to the building as fast as he could to find his class. He didn’t need any trouble on his first day.

 

When he walked into his homeroom, he walked up to a tall woman at the front desk. “Hi,” he said slowly, “I’m Steve Rogers. I don’t know if anyone told you about me, but I’m new here-“ He stopped himself, noticing the growing look of confusion and utter disgust on the girl’s face.

 

“Don’t ever talk to me again,” she scowled and stormed to one of the student’s desks. Steve tried not to be too embarrassed as a few people in the back laughed at him. Steve walked to one of the front seats, but one of the people laughing stopped him.

 

“You don’t want to sit there,” a red-headed girl in black said. “Bobbi Morse’s boyfriend is going to sit there.”

 

Just as she said that, a boy slid into the empty seat and began kissing the girl in the seat next to him. Rather intimately. Steve made a slight face and moved away from them to look for a different seat. Okay, so public displays of affection, not uncommon here.

 

“Uh-unh,” the girl said again, making a swiping gesture across her neck – the pale boy behind her made a similar gesture. “He farts a lot,” she pointed to the boy in the front seat, who looked back guiltily. Steve made for the next seat back, but that was quickly taken.

 

The boy and the girl watched Steve with interest while he circled back around, looking for a seat amongst the desks and he ran straight into someone carrying coffee and doughnuts. The coffee spilled all over the front of the woman’s shirt and her papers and doughnuts went everywhere.

 

“Oh god, I’m so sorry,” he apologized quickly, ignoring the laughter from the class. This was not how his first day was supposed to be going. He seemed to be making a mess of the simplest activities. Why couldn’t he even find a desk?

 

“It’s not you. I’m bad luck,” the woman reassured him as he attempted to help pick up her things. Once she’d gathered her food, she looked down at her soaked shirt in annoyance and started wiping at it with a napkin.

 

“Ms. Hill,” a man with an eye patch appeared in the doorway, holding a file in hand. He was dressed in all black, which Steve thought was a bit dark of a combination for a teacher to wear. The teacher he’d bumped into turned to look at the newcomer.

 

“Yes, Principal Fury?”

 

“We’ve got a new student from New York. His name is Steve Rogers.”

 

“That’s me,” Steve spoke up shyly, ignoring the grins from the classroom, clearly still amused by the turn of events.

 

“Well, welcome, Steve. Please, have a seat. Thank you, Principal Fury.”

 

Steve tried to focus on the class, but between the snickers and looks directed his way, as well as the stink emanating from the guy in front of him, it was pretty useless. He ended up doodling on his notebook as the teacher handed out books for them to read.

 

As Steve tried to find a place to sit at lunch, he found he wasn’t welcome anywhere – either people had the seats saved for someone else or he was too disturbed by the topics of conversation.

 

He had had at least some friends in New York, but none at Shield Academy. In the end, Steven ended up eating alone in the bathroom – hoping no one saw him. He’d never felt more alone in his life. He sighed heavily and found himself unable to eat his food. It was too gross – eating in a bathroom. He was so glad to get back home to his room he didn’t even respond when his grandmother asked how his day was. He sat on his bed in frustration and turned on his music, not leaving until his grandmother called him down for dinner. Tomorrow. Tomorrow would be different.


	2. It's Full of Secrets

**It’s Full of Secrets**

Part 2: The Second Day of School

 

His second day was off to a slightly better start – he’d at least gotten to a seat that wasn’t “off-limits.” The two people who had given him seating advice the day before leaned over to him.

 

“Have a nice first day?” The girl asked and Steve shrugged – he couldn’t actually tell them it was terrible, right? She seemed to already know how it must have went, however, judging by the glint in her eyes.

 

“Nice wig, Loki, what’s it made of?” Someone joked as he walked past.

 

“Your mom’s chest hair!” The boy with long hair snapped and then turned to Steve. “I’m Loki. And this is Natasha.”

 

“It’s nice to meet you,” Steve said politely.

 

“You know, Loki,” a girl with long blonde hair and a pink cardigan sneered at him, “maybe you should try not infecting perfectly normal boys with your sinful behavior, you abomination.”

 

Steve’s jaw dropped open, but Loki smirked right back at her. “Maybe you would actually meet normal boys if you weren’t such a twat,” he hissed and several students nearby clamped their hands over their mouths in horror.

 

“All right, everyone,” Ms. Hill chose that moment to walk into the room. “Settle in. Loki, detention today.”

 

Loki sighed and settled back in his seat with a look of resignation, like that was expected. Wouldn’t the girl get any punishment? After all, she started it. No punishment seemed forthcoming. Even if Ms. Hill had not heard her, it was frustrating. Saying those things to someone and getting away with it? That didn’t sit right with Steve. At all.

 

Class was relatively short, with Steve casting several glances at Loki and Natasha beside him. They’d been the only people to talk to him so far. Should he talk back?

When the bell rang, Steve glanced down at his schedule. Struck with a sudden streak of courage, he turned back to them. “Do you guys know where room G14 is?”

Natasha grabbed the sheet of paper and read it off: “Health, Tuesday-Thursday, room G14.”

 

“I think that’s in the back building,” Loki spoke in a silky voice, giving Natasha a meaningful look.

 

“Yeah, that’s in the back building. We’ll take you there,” Natasha offered, both of them smiling at Steve in a way he assumed was friendly. Feeling accomplished at having met two people who weren’t rude or callous to him, Steve smiled brightly.

“Thanks.”

 

They escorted him through the crowded hallways and out the back door. They walked across the lawn with Loki looking over Steve’s schedule. As the pair sat down on the lawn, Steve looked around them. There was no other building in sight. “Where’s the back building?” He asked hesitantly.

 

“It burned down in 1987,” Loki smirked up at him from his seated position.

 

“Won’t we get into some sort of trouble for this?”

 

“Why would we get you into trouble? We’re your friends,” Natasha scoffed and Steve cast a backwards glance at the school before settling down with them. He knew it was wrong to skip class, but Natasha had said they were friends and he was in no position to pass up friends. He guessed he would never know what went on in that first day of health class.

 

“So why’d you end up in public school?” Natasha crossed her legs and leaned back on her elbows.

 

“My mother used to homeschool me, but when she died, I had to move here with my grandmother…and public school was the easiest way to finish my education. Besides, my grandmother says it’s a good way for me to get socialized.”

 

“Oh, you’ll get socialized all right,” Loki said with a smirk, but Steve only looked confused.

 

“What do you mean?”

 

“You’re hot,” Natasha said as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. Steve had never been called “hot.” He’d always been the scrawny kid from Brooklyn. He supposed getting these sorts of compliments might be a little more common after the summer. After all, he was taller, and stronger… but he wasn’t sure he was any better looking.

 

“What?”

 

“Own it,” Natasha settled down comfortably. “Did you have anyone back in New York you were seeing?”

 

“Oh, well, there was someone I was interested in, but…” Steve shrugged. He didn’t really want to elaborate. He didn’t know how Natasha and Loki might react. After all, his last crush had been on a friend of his – Sam Wilson. He supposed Sam was a pretty gender ambiguous name, but he didn’t want more questioning on it or he might slip up. In freshman year, he’d dated Peggy, but she’d moved away to D.C. He sighed heavily and tried not to think too hard on his old friends. After all, he was trying to make new ones.

 

“I’m sure you’ll find someone here.”

 

“Maybe,” Steve shrugged half-heartedly. He wasn’t sure he wanted to think about it. Not so soon after moving away from his friends.

 

“No, you’re cute.” Natasha had a particular little smile unique to her. It was a smile that said she knew something he didn’t, and it was fond in its own way. Her nose twisted slightly in that smile. “Want me to set you up with someone?”

 

“Oh, no,” Steve smiled sheepishly. “I’ll do fine just on my own.”

 

“Let me know if you change your mind,” Natasha smiled at him before becoming distracted with people coming onto the field outside of the school.

 

“In the name of all that is holy, does Tony Stark ever dress for gym?”

 

“You never even go to gym,” Natasha pointed out. “At least he makes half an effort.”

 

Loki rolled his eyes and scoffed. “Of course all the Avengers had to end up in the same gym class.”

 

“I wouldn’t mind being in that gym class,” Natasha turned to Loki, clearly trying to antagonize him. “I mean, Thor’s kind of cute.”

 

Steve glanced over at the group coming out onto the field, but didn’t understand who they were talking about. “Who are the Avengers?”

 

“That’s Bruce Banner,” Natasha pointed to a dark-haired guy near a large group of people, who seemed to be trying to make himself smaller in everyone else’s presence, “he’s one of the smartest guys you’ll ever meet. He’s pretty quiet unless you make him angry. You _don’t_ want to make him angry,” she said and she and Loki shared a smile that indicated a sort of inside joke between them.

 

“That one right there,” Natasha pointed to a tall blonde who was just walking onto the field. He was flanked by four others who looked particularly muscular, but he towered over all of them, his long blond hair glimmering in the sunlight. Steve could see his taut muscles through his shirt and his bright white smile nearly blinded him from across the field. “That’s Thor Odinson. He’s rich because his dad is the ruler of a foreign country,” she didn’t elaborate and Steve was tempted to ask why he was in public school. “He’s friends with practically everyone, so he knows everything about them.” Steve watched Thor pat one of his four friends on the back while laughing and they stumbled a bit.

 

“That’s why his hair is so big. It’s full of secrets,” Loki whispered loudly and then his voice dropped an octave.  “And evil takes a human form in Tony Stark,” Loki said darkly. He pointed to a brunette with a goatee and a roguish grin. He was flanked on all sides by giggling girls and seemed to have a sort of swagger to his step. He wasn’t taller than the others or broader or blonder, but there was something about the way he carried himself that exuded confidence and sexuality. Steve was mesmerized.

 

“Oh, don’t be fooled,” Loki must have seen Steve staring, “he may seem like your typical selfish, arrogant, backstabbing, rich, slut-faced asshole, but in reality, he is so much more than that. Beware of the Avengers,” Loki warned, his expression actually making Steve nervous.

 

“They may try to recruit you,” Natasha gave him a very thorough once over.

“What do you mean?”

 

“Sometimes they try to recruit people they think are worthy. Usually someone attractive,” Loki shrugged, not even flinching at the compliment offered to Steve. “They tried to recruit Natasha. But she turned them down. And there’s a senior named Clint that they asked to be part of the group, but he also declined.”

 

“Have they ever tried to recruit you?” Steve asked Loki, and then tried to suppress his flush. Oh, Steve did not like being the closet. Once he could gauge their reactions, he would let them know. But he had to be careful, too. Only his closest friends had ever known about him - never a big group of people. He had to know they wouldn’t spread it to the whole school. Steve hadn’t had to worry before - that was the benefit of homeschooling.

 

Natasha’s eyebrows raised a fraction of an inch, but Loki didn’t seem to notice what Steve had implied. “Thankfully, no. I’m not the type.” Did he sound bitter?

 

Steve walked with Loki and Natasha to lunch. Skipping class had felt rather good. And they were the only people to be friendly to him since he’d started. Even though they were the sorts of people others would balk at, Steve wasn’t one to judge on appearances. Sure, Natasha actually did have a look that could kill (he wasn’t one hundred percent sure it hadn’t) and he got the impression she was reading his every movement, but she was funny and frank. It was refreshing. And Loki may dress like a Harry Potter villain dropped in a leather store, but he was a quick thinker and kind of gorgeous.

 

The blonde girl from his first class stopped Steve as he followed Natasha and Loki to a table. He was actually excited about having someone to sit with on the second day of school and tried to mask his annoyance at the interruption. “Hello, I’m Amora.”

“Hello,” Steve smiled in return, glancing over her shoulder to see Loki and Natasha sitting down.

 

“Since you’re new here, I just thought you should know that Loki Laufeyson is committing sins against God and he’s an abomination.

 

“Okay…” he wasn’t actually paying attention, trying to see where Natasha and Loki ended up sitting.

 

“You know he’s a homosexual, right? He’s trying to lead you down that path.”

 

“What?” Steve blinked, now paying attention to her. His retort was just on his lips – that it was far too late for that – but he was interrupted.

 

“Is she bothering you?” Someone asked from Steve’s right and he glanced over to see Tony Stark talking to him. He then directed his attention to her. “Amora, why are you such a pious bitch?”

 

“You would do well to take heed of God’s wishes, Tony.”

 

“Wow. You know what. I’ll write that down. That is such a terrible burn. Ouch. It really hurts,” Tony made a mock pouty face. “It’s obvious you’re hitting on him. He’s not interested,” now Tony turned his attention to Steve. “Do you want to have sex with her?”

 

Completely bewildered, Steve answered, “No, thank you.”

 

“Good. So it’s settled,” Tony was facing the girl again. “So you can go wax your mustache now. Bye, Amora.”

 

Steve watched Amora storm off and then glanced at Tony in complete shock. Wasn’t he supposed to be evil? Sure, he’d not been very nice, but he had been helping Steve. He started walking away to get his thoughts together, and partially out of fear of Tony, but he was spoken to again.

 

“Wait, sit down,” Tony pointed to an empty seat across from him. Steve glanced over at Natasha and Loki, who motioned at him to come over, and back to Tony, who was still looking at him expectantly. He should sit with Natasha and Loki like he’d planned, but Tony was right there watching him. They would understand, right? He had to be polite. Steve took a deep breath and sat down in the indicated seat as Tony continued talking to him like he was the most interesting thing in the world. “You new here?”

 

“I just moved here from New York.”

 

“New York? What’d you do there?” Tony asked as he popped a fry into his mouth.

 

“I was homeschooled.”

 

“What?”

 

“My mom taught me at home-“

 

“No,” Tony cut him off, “I know what homeschool is – I’m not stupid. So you’ve actually never been to a real school before?” Steve shook his head, intimidated by the three people staring at him like he was something completely out of the ordinary. “Homeschooled, that’s really interesting,” he looked between Thor and Bruce. “But you’re awfully handsome for a homeschooled kid.” The slight smile on his face and the way he cocked one of his eyebrows made Steve feel like he was being hit on.

 

“Thank you,” Steve said sheepishly, not sure how to react to this flirtation.

 

“Confidence. I like that,” Tony’s smirk slid into a grin.

 

“Oh…” Steve hesitated. How did he respond to that?

 

“Do you play football?” Thor asked, his voice seemed to have a slight accent to it.

 

“No, I don’t.”

 

“You look like you do,” Tony pointed out.

 

“Thank you?” He said again, though quieter this time. Tony didn’t call him out on this one, though.

 

“So, what do you like to do, Steve?” Bruce’s voice was soft, less aggressive than Tony or Thor’s.

 

“I like to draw,” Steve offered, but Tony wasn’t at all interested. Thor clearly wasn’t either, but he seemed to at least be making an effort to listen to him.

 

Lunch with the Avengers was stressful. Steve struggled to keep up with the conversation while they continued talking as if Steve had always been around. Thor talked briefly about practice, which no one even bothered to feign interest in and then Tony had some out loud musings about a party he planned to throw. Steve mostly just listened and remained quiet.

 

“Catch you later, Rogers,” Tony saluted him as he stood up to leave. “You’re sitting with us tomorrow. And the rest of the week. See you there.” The other two followed him and Steve gaped at the spot where they’d been. He’d just had lunch with the most feared group in school.

 

He was quickly hauled to his feet by Loki and Natasha as soon as they disappeared. Natasha took charge and pulled him along, with Loki following behind. Steve became alarmed when he noticed where she was taking him.

 

“Natasha! That’s the girls’ bathroom!” He protested, but she yanked him inside anyways. He could have easily gotten away, but he was more surprised and alarmed at the situation. His mind simply didn’t think of trying to get away.

 

“What did they say?” Loki demanded right off the bat.

 

“They asked me to eat lunch with them for the rest of the week,” Steve answered, blushing furiously and staring at the ceiling rather than at the stalls in the washroom. “Can we leave?”

 

He was ignored. “They’re trying to recruit you,” Natasha seemed smug.

 

“Okay, you’ve got to do it and tell us all the horrible things that Tony says.” For some reason, that seemed to thrill Loki.  Natasha sent him a questioning look, but he didn’t even glance in her direction.

 

“I don’t know…Tony seems nice,” Steve said hesitantly. In those minutes he’d spent with them, Tony hadn’t been anything but nice to him. A bit rude, perhaps, but rude didn’t mean he was as evil as Loki had told him.

 

“Nice?” Loki suddenly hissed, face contorting in anger. “Tony Stark is not nice! Okay?! He’s a scum-sucking road horse! He ruined my life!”

 

“Hey! Get out of here!” A girl said as she walked into the bathroom, looking between Loki and Steve.

 

“Oh my god, Danny DeVito, I love your work!” Loki exclaimed, scaring the girl out of the bathroom.

 

“Why do you hate him?” Steve watched her leave, but his attention was quickly back on Loki.

 

“What?”

 

“Tony. You seem to really hate him.”

 

Loki frowned, confused. “Yeah, what’s your question?”

 

“Well,” Steve faltered, “my question is: why?”

 

“It doesn’t matter,” Loki brushed him off.

 

“You should tell him, Loki.”  

 

“No.” They stared at each other for a moment and Steve was getting even more confused as they held it, having a silent conversation. Although he didn’t figure out who lost it, Loki was the first to look away and back at Steve. “Look, it’s not about hating him, all right? It would just be a fun little experiment for you to hang out with them and tell us everything they said.”

 

“But…what do we even talk about?” Steve looked between the pair. What did you talk about with people like the Avengers?

 

“I don’t know – cars?” Loki offered, not even offering effort into his thought.

 

“Ashton Kutcher,” Natasha suggested, which only confused Steve more.

 

“Is that a band?”

 

“Would you just do it?” Loki cut them off,  clearly annoyed.

 

“Okay.”

 

***

 

Steve bit into his hamburger, glancing at the people at the table. Pepper had joined them the third day that Steve ate with the Avengers. As class president, she missed lunches whenever she had a meeting. Being the beginning of the year, she’d been busy for lunches Monday through Wednesday, though she stayed long enough to grab her lunches and say hello to Tony before leaving for her meetings. She seemed nice so far. More sensible than most.

 

“So,” Steve began cautiously into the silence, “Is anyone going to homecoming? I’ve never really been to a high school dance before…”

Tony raised an eyebrow. “You’re kidding, right?”

 

“Really?” Pepper seemed interested.

 

“Did you live under a rock?” Tony less so.

 

“So are you going?” Steve pushed past the comment.

 

“Tony invited me,” Pepper answered for him.

 

At least she didn’t make him feel like he’d just dropped onto the planet. Steve smiled back at her.

 

“Bruce, Thor, are either of you going?” Pepper asked them, possibly in an attempt to keep the conversation going.

 

 

Thor shook his head. “Can’t,” he grunted. “I’ll be out of town with my father this weekend. I won’t be able to go.”

 

Bruce shook his head as well. “Afraid I can’t. I’m doing some research at Oscorp Friday night.”

 

“Oscorp?” Steve asked curiously.

 

“Oh, I intern at the lab there.”

 

“Well, I’ll be going, Steve,” Pepper smiled at him. “I’ll be a bit busy making sure everything is going smoothly, but maybe I’ll see you there?” Steve nodded in affirmation.


	3. Pocket Full of Sunshine

Life with the Avengers was very different – it was like living in a Tony Stark fan club. Thor had his own circle of friends and Bruce had his science club, but Tony was the ringleader and everyone else was along for the ride. And, Steve had to admit, it was a pretty fun ride. The wealth and popularity of the Avengers opened up a lot of opportunities that Steve had never had. He felt bad, actually, reporting to Loki and Natasha whenever the Avengers weren’t around. They had never done anything wrong. At least not really wrong. At least not to Steve.

 

On the days he didn’t spend with the group, he would stay after school and train. On occasion, he’d hang out with Loki and Natasha when invited afterwards. It was one of those days Steve was staying after school. He was running around the track, enjoying the pounding of his heart against his ribs and the sting in his lungs when he heard a voice call to him.

 

“Is this what you do for fun?”

 

Steve slowed to a walk until he was standing beside Loki. “What are you doing here so late?” He gasped, trying to catch his breath.

 

Loki smirked and held up a can of spray paint. “Working on some art.

 

“You shouldn’t do that,” Steve straightened his posture. “You’ll get in trouble.”

 

“Only if I get caught,” Loki whispered with a mischievous smile.

 

Steve couldn’t help but smile slightly in return. “Where’s Natasha?”

 

“At her house, I think. She doesn’t like to get up to things with me. Not ones she can get caught for, at least. Want to help me? You’re a pretty decent artist from what I’ve seen,” Loki offered, but Steve turned him down.

 

“I prefer to keep my art on paper. You going to homecoming tomorrow night?”

 

Loki glanced back at him with an odd expression. “Sure. Maybe. I don’t know,” he shrugged.

 

“Are you going with anyone?”

 

Loki’s features became even more confused at the question. He looked hesitant and a bit lost when he answered. “No.”

 

Steve felt his heart pounding in his chest. It felt like he was asking someone out, not seeing if a friend would go to a dance with him. He should clarify – explain himself. “Loki, it’s my first homecoming ever and I really would like to go, but I don’t really have anyone to hang out with. So it’d be really great if we could go, you know – me, you, and Natasha. I’d love to go to homecoming with my friends.”

 

Loki looked one part relieved and one part… disappointed? “Oh. Yes, I suppose we can go. They’re pretty boring, but I guess Nat and I can go to contribute to your authentic public school experience.”

 

“Thanks, Loki. Really,” Steve put a hand on his heart and Loki shrugged as he walked off.

 

“See you.”

 

***

 

Now that had been some experience. Loki had almost thought Steve was asking him on a date. That wasn’t the case, of course. Why would it be? People didn’t just ask Loki Laufeyson on a date. Especially not people like Steve Rogers. Not _nice_ boys. And Steve was a _nice_ boy. Too nice. Loki didn’t even understand why Steve wanted to hang out with him.

 

Loki looked up from his task when his phone buzzed. (The task being hacking a facebook profile and putting up some very interesting statuses for a young man who had decided he would tell everyone Loki had fucked the gym teacher.)

_What do you wear to homecoming?_

 

It was from Steve. Loki smirked.

_Are you asking what I’m wearing, Steve?_

_Too soon?_ Steve texted back immediately and Loki chuckled. Why did Steve have to be funny, too?

_I expect dinner to be bought for me first._

 

A few minutes of waiting and then a picture message arrived. It was a picture of Steve grinning and holding up a plate of what looked like meatloaf and mashed potatoes.

 

Loki laughed and looked around his empty room. He waited to see if anyone would come knocking, asking why he was laughing alone in his room. Of course, no one did. _How am I supposed to eat it?_

 

Loki saved the picture Steve sent him and set it to his phone’s profile picture while he was awaiting a response.

_Come over. My grandma made plenty._

 

Was he serious? _You’re joking. And I said bought, not made._

_I’m serious. And this is better._

 

Loki leaned back in his chair and closed his laptop, completely focusing on the text now. What should he say?

_Two hours until homecoming. Do you have a car?_

 

Loki stared down at Steve’s second text. He was actually serious.

 

Loki got to his feet and started pacing, staring down at the phone he left on his bed. Was he really going to go over to Steve’s for dinner? Why? Why should he?

Because Steve asked, of course.

 

Loki’s phone lit up – Steve had sent his address.

 

Loki grabbed his phone, bag (which had been packed full of items for the revenge he planned that night), and keys and practically ran down the stairs and out the front door. He grabbed his family’s least conspicuous car and tapped Steve’s address into the gps. His family wasn’t exactly… subtle. So the black sedan with a much too luxurious inside was the best he could do. He wasn’t opposed to flashy, of course. He liked flashy and tasteful, but… he could tell Steve didn’t come from a wealthy home. All of his things were old or hand-me-downs, but they were all well cared for. Loki didn’t want to make Steve feel uncomfortable. That was a first. But mostly, he didn’t want Steve asking about Loki’s home life.

_On my way._ He texted back before pulling out of the driveway.

 

Steve replied with a smiley face. Very fitting.

 

No one was in the car to tell him to stop, so Loki turned his music up loud. Sometimes he felt like Stravinsky. Sometimes he felt like The Smiths. But for now, he scrolled through the stations to see what was on.

_“I got a pocket, got a pocket full of sunshine.”_

 

“Eugh,” Loki made a sound at the back of his throat. “Worst song ever,” he grumbled, but his finger fell away from the radio dial anyway.

_“I’ve got a love and I know that it’s all mine. Do what you want, but you’re never gonna break me. Sticks and stones are never gonna shake me.”_

 

Loki tapped his fingers on the steering wheel as he drove out of his neighborhood. It wasn’t like anyone could hear it, anyways. His GPS chimed with directions, so he muted the volume on it.

_“Wish that you could, but you ain’t gonna own me. Do anything you can to control me.”_

 

He was humming along with the song now. It was actually upbeat and fun, even if it wasn’t an incredible composition. Sometimes you needed one of those songs.

 

“There’s a place that I go that nobody knows where the rivers flow and I call it home. And there’s no more lies and the darkness is light and nobody cries. There’s only butterflies,” Loki sang along with it under his breath.

 

“Take me away! A secret place! A sweet escape!” Loki was belting in the car along with the radio now. “Take me away! Take me away! To better days! Take me away! A hiding place! Take me aw-“ he paused as he stopped at a red light and the person in the car next to him was staring at him. Loki flipped him off before he sped off and continued singing. “I got a pocket, got a pocket full of sunshine!”

 

Steve, as expected, lived in a very old, but well-maintained house. He was in a poorer area of town, but not one that was crime-infested. It seemed as if a lot of elderly people lived in the neighborhood, which was to be expected. Steve’s home had a white panel façade with faded green shutters. It was narrow and tall – two stories. He saw lights on behind white lace curtains in the front windows.

 

It was when he pulled into the driveway that he began to feel nervous. Eating with just Steve was fine, but his grandmother would probably be there. How was he supposed to act around her? What if he didn’t like her food? He was used to being rude around people. And it had been a long time since he’d been invited over to someone’s house like this. No, he would have to be polite. He knew manners just fine. He just refused to use them most of the time. But he could dust them off now.

Loki got out of the car and walked up to the door to knock. He heard a loud noise from inside and Steve shouting “I’ll get it!” Loki forced himself not to smile. He’d never heard anyone that enthusiastic for guests after the age of twelve.

“Loki!” Steve was grinning from ear to ear when he answered the door. “Come in! I’m so glad you came,” he was saying as Loki stepped over the threshold. “We still have lots of food. We haven’t quite finished eating,” Steve led Loki to the dining room where an elderly woman smiled at him. "Grandma, this is Loki. Loki, this is my grandmother, Mary."

 

"It's nice to meet you, ma'am," Loki greeted politely.

 

"Glad you could come on such short notice. I hope your parents weren't too upset."

 

Not like they would care. "Not at all. We hadn't eaten yet."

 

"I've been telling Steve he should invite his friends over."

 

Steve handed Loki a plate and Loki sat down at the table with them, seemingly not embarrassed by his grandmother. Loki knew his own family embarrassed him. He engaged in small talk with Steve and his grandmother during the meal and complimented her cooking. After, Steve led Loki up to his room. "So what do people wear to homecoming?" he asked as they walked.

 

Loki shrugged. "It's not very formal. Semiformal, I suppose."

 

"What are you wearing?"

 

Loki grinned mischievously. "Steve, you are incorrigible."

 

"Well, we did just have dinner. That was the stipulation, wasn’t it?” Steve grinned back just as cheekily. It was a good look for him. Steve was the most dangerous sort of man and Loki knew he should be running away as fast as his legs could carry him. He was charming, kind, polite, attractive, built (from what Loki could tell), and he had a streak in him that told Loki there was something about him that didn’t exactly live up to his good boy façade. He was the perfect gentleman, but he flirted and teased. He played a dangerous game and Loki loved it. Every ounce of it.

 

“You’re going to flirt with me while your grandmother’s downstairs?”

 

“Why not?” Steve raised an eyebrow and then pulled a shirt out of his dresser, holding it up for Loki’s approval. Loki shrugged indifferently. Steve looked put out and a bit exasperated. “Well, what are you wearing?”

 

Loki leaned back and indicated his body.

 

“Oh,” Steve looked him up and down, supposedly examining the outfit, but Loki wondered if Steve’s gaze held too long. “Maybe I should go with the all-black motif.”

 

“I don’t think you can pull it off,” Loki scoffed.

 

“Oh, I accept that challenge,” Steve dug around in his dresser for a pair of black trousers. He tossed them on Loki playfully. “Maybe we should switch outfits. That would really throw people for a loop.”

 

“You would bust out of my shirt, beefcake.”

 

Steve laughed and leaned back against the dresser, looking at Loki. Loki didn’t think Steve realized quite how big he was. He’d told both him and Natasha that he used to be under 5’5” and under 100 pounds. Loki wasn’t sure what he was on, but it did a good job.

 

“Besides, people might start talking,” Loki smirked. He actually wouldn’t mind that rumor at all.

 

“Never much cared for what people said.” Steve should be more careful. He hadn’t managed to say a thing to upset Loki. In fact, every word out of his mouth just seemed to be gold.

 

Loki felt an ugly knot twist in his stomach. Steve would certainly care when he heard the things people said about Loki. He would change his mind about him, just like everyone else except Natasha. Natasha, though, had her own sordid business. Her pristine record would not be mucked up by Loki’s presence. But Steve’s purity would be smudged in black if he continued to stick around Loki. Loki would see to it. He’d never been able to keep something beautiful. They withered as soon as they touched his fingers. His very presence tended to be a pestilence on the things around him. Instead of warning Steve – if he were a good person, he would have – he glanced out Steve’s window into the dark. “You’re one of the only ones.”

 

If Steve caught the look, he didn’t say anything about it. He simply shrugged. “Well, I’m not going to let words ruin my first high school dance. So… black shirt, you think?” He held up a shirt from his drawer.

 

After Steve dressed, the pair bade his grandmother goodnight and Loki drove them to the dance, rather earlier than he would have liked at Steve’s insistence.

 

“This is a nice car,” Steve complimented, looking around the dark interior. “Can we listen to the radio?”

 

Loki pressed the button, forgetting, momentarily, that he was on the sort of pop station.

_“-what you’re looking for has been here the whole time. If you could see that I’m the one who understands you, been here all along so why can’t you see?”_

 

“I hate this song.”

 

“Oh,” Steve sounded interested as he listened. “What is this?” He asked as Loki’s hand went to switch it.

 

Loki frowned at him, noticing in his short glance that Steve seemed to enjoy the song. “You would like Taylor Swift, wouldn’t you?” he muttered, but dropped his hand so Steve could listen. It was like telling a puppy it couldn’t have what it wanted – it was sometimes hard to say no to Steve. He couldn’t stand Taylor Swift. Especially this particular song, but he could let Steve listen if he enjoyed it. So he left it on and tried not to seem annoyed.

 

“What do you normally listen to, then?”

 

Loki shrugged. “A little of this. A little of that.”

 

Steve chuckled to himself. “You can be so evasive sometimes.”

 

“Sometimes?”

 

They arrived at the dance. The front lights of the school were dim and orange in the darkness. Loki spotted a few people walking in and he sighed, turning off the car and joining Steve as he practically hopped out of the car and up the stairs. “Excited?” Loki deadpanned.

 

Steve laughed, though he seemed unsure of himself. “Nervous, too.”

 

“Too bad you couldn’t have a date for your first dance ever.” Loki had no clue why he would say that. What could he hope to gain from it? What could he possibly want from that question?

 

“Nah, I’ve got better,” Steve grinned and bumped his shoulder against Loki’s. That. That was what he’d wanted from it.

 

Steve hurried ahead, as if he was trying to get away from the awkwardness he’d just created between them. Loki patted the messenger bag at his side carefully. Just because Steve had called didn’t mean he couldn’t pull off the revenge he’d been planning for that evening.

 

Steve and Loki passed money over to the people in front of the gymnasium. Likely parents of students saddled with volunteering to chaperone the dance. There weren’t many people there quite yet. It was 8:05 and there wouldn’t be much of a party until 9. Loki would have to stick to Steve until then. The chaperones would be watching too closely. Steve looked a little disappointed as he noticed the small amount of people and the overly loud music. “It’s too early,” Loki told him, though he didn’t need to.

 

“Let’s eat, then” he pointed over to the table with snacks set out for them. Loki could eat chips and brownies whenever he wanted, but he followed Steve anyways as he selected foods to eat out of pure boredom.

 

Around 8:30, things were a little more interesting. The dance was probably at half the size Loki expected. Natasha arrived around that time, a smirk on her face as she approached them. “Glad to see you boys made it. You’re early, Loki.”

 

“Loki brought me,” Steve informed her over the noise of the music.

 

“Did he?” Natasha’s knowing smile was just pulling at the corner of her lips. Steve caught it and sent a questioning look between the two of them. “Ever been to anything like this?” Natasha asked instead. Steve’s eyes went to a couple that was grinding in the middle of the dance floor.

 

“Can’t say that I have.”

 

Natasha chuckled and Loki felt a smile pull at the corners of his lips. This time Steve did not catch the look Natasha sent Loki.

 

“Well, if you boys are not going to ask me to dance, I know a young man in the archery club who will. Have fun, Steve,” she smiled at him and then gave Loki a pointed look as she left. He knew a Natasha manipulation a mile away.

 

“I didn’t know she was seeing anyone,” Steve said conversationally.

 

“I don’t really think Clint Barton counts,” Loki shrugged.

 

Around 9:15, Loki told Steve he was going to go to the bathroom and disappeared from the gymnasium. He weaved through the corridors and glanced backwards to make sure no one was following him. He didn’t need some chaperone or student blowing the whistle. It wasn’t like Loki enjoyed all the detentions he got, contrary to what some might say. He just thought the fun he had getting them was worth the punishment. Still, the best scenario was one where he didn’t get caught.

 

Loki found Amora’s locker – 316 - and opened up the bag he’d kept at his side for the past hour. He grabbed a handful of condoms from within its depths and started shoving them through the slots one by one. If only he could see her when all the condoms spilled out on Monday morning...

 

Steve’s locker was in this hallway – maybe he could make some excuse to be there when she opened it. He chuckled to himself, picturing her appalled expression in his mind.

 

“Funny, this doesn’t look like the bathroom.”

 

Loki jumped at the sound of the voice. Steve had his arms folded, just having rounded the corner, and was standing straight, looking very stern. “I was on my way back,” Loki said dryly, hiding his hand in his bag.

 

“Yeah, I’m sure,” Steve replied skeptically and closed the distance between them. He held out his hand expectantly and Loki sneered.

 

“I’m not going to-“

 

Steve swiped at Loki’s hand and caught several condoms from him. “What are you doing, Loki?” He sighed in disappointment and turned away from him. To Loki’s surprise, he started stuffing condoms in the locker next to the one Loki had been shoving them into.

 

“What are _you_ doing?” Loki demanded. Steve gave him a deadpan expression and grabbed the combination lock on 316 and spun it around until it clicked, watching Loki the entire time. He flipped open the locker and the condoms Loki had put in there spilled out.

 

“That’s my locker.”

 

“Oh.”

 

“Unless that was the goal,” Steve smirked a little. Now if that wasn’t hot, Loki wasn’t sure what was.  “If you’re trying to send me a message, you could have been a little more subtle.” Loki blinked as Steve knelt down and grabbed a handful, shoving them in Loki’s chest where he caught them. “Wrong size, by the way.”

 

Finally, Loki managed to pull his lips apart. “Wrong size?” He asked incredulously, partly in shock.

 

“Hey, I was homeschooled, not dead,” Steve chuckled. “Now, come on. Amora’s locker is 315. Would have been nice if it was 316, though. ‘Do unto others…’ Kind of ironic.”

 

“In the Alanis Morissette sense of the word,” Loki replied as he watched Steve push condoms through the locker slots. Loki followed suit, trying to ignore the way their hands occasionally brushed. They were silent for about thirty seconds before Loki broke it. “Why?”

 

“Some people get what’s coming to them. And sometimes karma needs a little help. I don’t like the way she treats people.”

 

“So Steve Rogers isn’t above petty revenge,” Loki mused aloud.

 

“That’s what you got from that?” Steve tutted and reached around, sticking his hand into Loki’s bag and grabbing another handful. “But, no. I’m not exactly above revenge.”

 

Loki was a little in awe of Steve sometimes. He was so… unexpected. He thought Steve was just this home-schooled golden innocent that everyone liked. But Steve had a lot of twists and turns. He flirted like crazy when he got in a mood, he apparently was not as pristine as Loki thought, and he sometimes liked petty revenge pranks.

 

“That’s all of them.”

 

“Then let’s get back to the dance before anyone notices we’re missing,” Steve suggested. “Don’t want to have it pinned on us.”

 

“Certainly not.”

 

***

 

The next day, Steve expected to be approached by Loki at his locker. After all, he’d want to see the fireworks when Amora came in, right? Instead, it was Pepper who appeared. She tucked her straight hair behind one ear – she looked concerned.

 

“Hey, Steve. I’m sorry I didn’t get to see you at homecoming.”

 

“It’s okay.” It was probably for the best Pepper didn’t see him with Loki due to the relationship between him and Tony. “I was able to find someone to hang out with.”

 

“Yeah,” Pepper said slowly, looking him in the eye. “I saw. Look, Steve, I don’t care who you hang out with, of course. And I kept Tony busy, so he wouldn’t notice. I just happened to see that you were with-“

 

“AAAAAAHHHHHH!” A shriek pierced his ears as condoms spilled onto the floor beside him. Had he and Loki really managed to fit that many into the locker? Amora jumped backwards so violently, she almost fell down.

 

“Oh my god!” Pepper gasped in shock and stepped out of the pile that was sprawling across the floor. Steve had to duck his head in his locker momentarily to hide a smile at the expression on Amora’s face. Pepper, however, when Steve glanced back at her, appeared torn about what to do. She didn’t care much for Amora – no one did – but she seemed to want to comfort Amora somehow for something so mortifying.

Steve had managed a straight face when he emerged with his books for his first class. He kicked the condoms off his feet and backed up, feeling barely confident he wouldn’t give anything away. Unfortunately, Loki decided he would walk by at that moment. “Seems you’ve been busy, Amora.”

 

Steve wasn’t sure if it was Loki’s tone or his expression, or the fact that Steve was trying so hard not to smile, but he had to duck into his locker and suppress his fit of laughter. Pepper saw his shoulders shaking and he glanced at her apologetically. She shook her head in disapproval, but it was superficial. She was fighting back a small smile as well. “Get to class,” she finally said, as if she was trying to rise above the immaturity.

 

Steve hurried off to homeroom before it became too obvious to Amora he was laughing. He had to lean against the wall of the next hallway and laugh for a minute straight before he could go into the classroom.

 

Loki, somehow, had managed to get there before him and looked extremely satisfied with himself. Natasha glanced between him and Loki. “Okay, what did you two do that I wasn’t invited to?”

 

Steve forced the corners of his lips to stay down, but one look at Loki and he was pushing laughter back again.

 

“Just a little well deserved revenge,” Loki smirked, leaning back in his chair and propping his feet up on his desk.

 

“Four on the floor, Loki,” Ms. Hill said without looking up from her papers.

 

Natasha pursed her lips. She didn’t ask who revenge had been taken on, but she seemed to be putting the pieces together in her head as the bell rang.

 

About ten minutes later, a student walked in and whispered in Ms. Hill’s ear.

 

“Loki Laufeyson, Principal Fury wants to see you in his office now,” Ms. Hill didn’t seem surprised.

 

Loki saluted Steve and Natasha as he stood up from his desk in homeroom and strolled out.

 

“He’s not as subtle as he thinks,” Natasha murmured under her breath.

 

“Think he’ll get in trouble?”

 

“What do you define as trouble?”

 

Another ten minutes passed and Steve was called out of class and to the principal’s office as well.  Natasha raised an eyebrow as he walked out and he managed to look sheepish and apologetic for her. Loki couldn’t have told Fury about him being involved. Or tried to lay the blame on him. Would he? No, Loki wouldn’t do that. They were friends. What if Amora had seen him laughing? She could have thought he’d done it as well. Sometimes Steve didn’t think he and Loki did a good job of keeping their friendship hidden, but the Avengers hadn’t noticed yet.

 

Steve walked past the front desk and was led into Fury’s office. He’d expected an old room with bookshelves and a giant mahogany desk. Instead, the room was well-lit with natural light coming in from the large windows, and the desk was minimalist – black and glass. The whole room was minimalist. There were no photos, no books. Just Fury’s computer. Loki was sitting in a chair across from Fury, who was standing behind his desk. Amora was not there.

 

“Please sit down,” Fury told Steve.

 

He shot Loki a questioning glance as he did so, but Loki didn’t seem worried.

 

“Mr. Laufeyson here has been accused of playing a prank on a student,” Fury’s tone said this was nothing new. “Now, Mr. Laufeyson could not have entered the premises between school closing and homecoming without being noticed. And I think Mr. Laufeyson would sooner show up to school wearing a pink tutu than show up to school early,” Loki shrugged as he said this - he seemed to agree. “So the only opportunity he had was at homecoming. But he says he was with you the entire evening.” He was looking at Steve for an answer even though he hadn’t asked a question. Steve felt relieved he was there acting as some sort of alibi for Loki. Of course Loki hadn’t said anything about Steve’s involvement.

 

“I was, sir. He didn’t play any sort of prank.”

 

Fury stared him down for several long seconds. “Good.” And he seemed to mean it, too, though Steve couldn’t be sure. “You’re both free to go.”

 

They stood up in unison. Loki’s face was blank until they were completely out of the office and in the empty hallways. Only then, did he allow his features to shift into the most smug-looking expression Steve had ever seen.

 

“Wow. We got away with it,” Steve commented quietly, throwing a glance over his shoulder to make sure they wouldn’t be overheard.

 

“Congratulations, partner-in-crime,” Loki raised his eyebrows.

 

“I’m not your partner-in-crime.”

 

“Now you are. With your sparkling record, you can get away with anything. If it was my word against Amora’s, I’d be serving another detention. But your word…” Loki was thinking of the possibilities. Steve wasn’t sure he liked that.

 

“No. That was just because she’s done some things to you that I didn’t like. I’m not going to do this all the time.”

 

Loki stopped walking and Steve had to turn to look back at him. His eyebrows were drawn together in confusion. That expression definitely did not have an effect on him. None whatsoever. He had no urge to kiss that look away. At all. “You did that because of what she did to me?”

 

Steve’s throat constricted, but he put on a friendly smile to help ease the sudden tension that rose between them and the heaviness in Loki’s question. “Of course.” He shouldn’t say it. He shouldn’t. But Loki was looking right at him, as if he still didn’t understand… He wasn’t going to say it… that would just put a wall up between them that he didn’t want. No. Don’t say it. Don’t say it. “What are friends for?”


	4. Evil Dictator

“We’re going to a movie premier tonight, Rogers. Want to come?” Tony asked casually. They were all - meaning Thor, Bruce, Tony, and Steve - in Tony’s luxurious “game room.” Thor and Bruce were currently competing in a racing video game on the television that was as large as the wall. Thor’s enthusiasm and rambunctious comments were affecting his performance, since Bruce had already lapped him. Tony, on the other hand, was tinkering with some sort of instrument Steve couldn’t even begin to comprehend. Steve had just been watching Bruce and Thor compete. They’d offered him a control to race as well, but he just wasn’t feeling up to it. And he didn’t need to answer questions about why he’d never played video games before. He already got enough flack for his homeschooling. He knew if he just told them his family couldn’t afford that sort of thing, they’d drop it immediately and Tony would stop acting like he was some sort of alien. But he’d rather just Tony think him sheltered than pity him. Tony tried to guess at why Steve didn’t know any current shows or movies - “religious?” “were your parents in a kool-aid cult?” “really strict?” “raised by mole people on Mars?” It seemed lack of money just didn’t cross Tony’s mind. Or it did and he just tried to keep things fun between them rather than shedding light on Steve’s previous financial situation. He was pretty sure Pepper could tell. She would immediately shut down Tony when he started his new round of guesses in front of her.

 

“You mean to the movie theater? Yeah, sure,” Steve smiled back at him, around Thor and Bruce. He was sitting on the oversized, round ottoman beside the couch the other two occupied. Tony was on the floor with spare parts scattered around him.

 

“No. I mean a premiere. Dressed up, red carpet sort of shindig.”

 

Thor ignored the fact that Steve’s jaw might have just dropped onto the floor for the look he gave him. “Come on, Steve. It’ll be fun.”

 

“Where in the world is it?” Steve asked incredulously. There were certainly no movie premieres around here.

 

“Hollywood. Where else?”

 

Steve was sure his mouth was still open. How could Tony think that he could just drop everything and go to a movie premiere in Hollywood!? “Tony, I can’t afford a plane ticket-“ He began reproachfully, not bothering to keep the “are you out of your mind?” tone out of his voice.

 

“Why would you need one?” Tony scoffed. “We’re taking my private jet.”

 

“Private jet?”

 

“Yeah, you know,” Tony flicked his hand. “Big wings, flies in the air, takes you places, terrible food. A jet,” he made a very falsely concerned and confused face. “Were you homeschooled by the bushman of Africa? How could you have not heard of this yet?”

 

“Well, uh, I should probably ask my grandmother before I go anywhere…”

 

“Cool. Get back to me on it.”

 

The biggest surprise was that his grandmother actually allowed him to go. Steve was convinced she either didn’t understand what he was asking or she thought he was joking. But, in a few hours, he was on Tony Stark’s private jet on his way to Hollywood with Thor, Bruce, Tony, and Pepper.

 

“Hope you didn’t want to bring a date, Steve,” Tony said as they finally settled in, each with a drink in front of them, though Steve was the only person with a non-alcoholic beverage. Even Pepper had red wine. Tony had tried to convince him to drink this time, claiming it was a special occasion, but Steve declined repeatedly.

 

“Oh, it’s fine,” Steve waved off the question.

 

“I could get you one, you know.”

 

“No thanks.” Steve wasn’t sure what Tony was offering, but he was certain he didn’t want it.

 

“You sure?” Tony tilted his sunglasses downward so he could look over them at Steve, who sat directly across from him. Steve took a sip of his drink. “Because boy, girl – I could get you either one.”

 

Steve choked violently on his drink and he was almost certain Tony had planned that.

 

“You strike me as an equal opportunity type of lover.”

 

“Tony!” Pepper’s voice was equal parts scandalized and warning.

 

“What? It’s just a simple question, Pepper,” Tony tried to explain to her and then he leaned forward, scrutinizing Steve for a reaction. “So what is it, Rogers?”

 

“I’m actually not all that interested in dating right now,” Steve tried to avoid the question and Tony seemed to notice.

 

“Mysterious doesn’t suit you.”

 

Thankfully, Steve’s phone buzzed in his pocket and he had an excuse to look away from Tony’s hard stare and everyone else’s curious gazes. Bruce was trying very hard to look interested in the clouds out the window, but failing. Thor, however, didn’t even try to appear as if he wasn’t listening.

 

It was from Natasha. _Movie night at my house tomorrow?_

 

He smiled slightly to himself, thinking about just how different that experience was going to be from the one he currently found himself in.

 

“Why are you smiling? Who are you texting? Boy or girl?”

 

Steve texted her back with a quick “yes” and looked back up at Tony as he tucked it into his pocket. “Just a friend.”

 

Tony lunged forward and grabbed the phone from Steve’s shirt pocket before he could react. He slid his finger over the screen, making Steve regret for the first time that he didn’t have some sort of password on it. “Movie night with Natasha,” he mused. “That must be Natasha Romanoff?” Tony raised an eyebrow at him and Steve snatched it away before he could read anymore. “You set the bar high, Steve Rogers. Got to say, I’m a little disappointed your sexuality isn’t a little more adventurous,” he raised his eyebrows suggestively and Steve wondered briefly if Tony was hitting on him. No, definitely not. Tony just acted flirty with everyone.

 

“Are you dating Natasha, Steve?” Pepper asked curiously. “I saw the two of you talking at homecoming.”

 

“She’s just a friend,” Steve felt his stomach clench. What if Pepper mentioned who else she might have seen him with? Pepper, thankfully perceptive as she was, seemed to notice his worried expression.

 

“Thor, how about Jane Foster? What’s going on with that?” Pepper turned the attention away from him and the group took the topic change well. Steve exhaled in relief and leaned against the window, watching the clouds pass by.

 

***

 

“There were all these people taking pictures and Tony drank like a fish,” Steve was telling Natasha and Loki that Saturday night. “It was pretty miserable. Exciting, sure, but I’m not sure I liked the attention. It was flashy and… uncomfortable.”

 

Natasha lounged lengthwise on the bright orange couch in her basement, her feet propped up in Steve’s lap and her hands tucked behind her head. “Don’t like being the center of attention, Steve?”

 

“Not terribly much.”

 

“Good, more room for me,” Loki smirked from his position on the ground, leaning his back against the front of the couch. Steve kicked him in the side without malice, but with enough force to knock him down. He got back up right away, but didn’t retaliate immediately. That meant Steve was going to get it later. And that worried him a bit. “So what movie are we watching this evening?”

 

“It’s Steve’s turn to choose.”

 

Loki sighed heavily, but handed the controller to Steve to scroll through Netflix.

Natasha had picked _The Godfather_ the last time they’d had a movie night. And Loki had picked _Gone with the Wind_ the time before that. Natasha tended to pick darker movies, sometimes war movies, but almost always violent. She said she found it cathartic. Loki always picked classics. Loki always came off as having very refined taste – classic movies, operas, classical music… except for that one time at homecoming when the radio turned on and it was on the pop music station. Did Loki like that type of music or had someone else in his family left it on? Probably the latter, Steve had decided.

 

“Let’s watch _The Breakfast Club_ ,” Steve said and was not met with protests, so he used the controller to choose it. He hadn’t seen it, but he’d heard about it.

 

“Game?” Natasha tapped Loki on the shoulder and he tilted his head back to look at her.

 

“Never have I ever.”

 

Natasha hopped up from the couch and walked over to the mini fridge beside the T.V. She tossed Steve a can of ginger ale and made a mixture of rum and coke for herself and Loki. It wasn’t Loki’s drink, but Natasha didn’t take requests.

 

“No shots tonight?” Loki asked.

 

“I want a hangover free weekend. Besides, we’re going to get our asses kicked by Steve.”

 

Loki looked over Steve now. “True,” he admitted.

 

Steve drew his brows together. “How do we play this game?” He was happy that they took the time to introduce him to drinking games and let him participate without actually drinking.

 

“We go around and say something we’ve never done. If anyone else in the group has done it, they have to drink,” Natasha settled back into her place on the couch. “You can play it without drinking, too. You hold up ten fingers and put one down for each thing you’ve done. The last one in wins.”

 

“Can we do it that way?” Steve asked. It would be preferable to downing a can of gingerale in less than fifteen minutes.

 

Natasha and Loki glanced at each other. “Sure. We’re still going to drink, too.”

 

“Fair enough,” Steve replied to Natasha and held up ten fingers like he’d been told. Natasha held her hands up and Loki did so, reluctantly, as if he was already resigned to losing. There seemed to be a sense of pride to it, too, as if he was forcing his expression to one of reluctance.

 

“Don’t pout. You picked the game,” Natasha reprimanded him with a nudge of her elbow. “I’ll go first. Never have I ever won an academic award.”

 

Loki looked up at her strangely. “Really?”

 

Steve put down a finger.

 

“Never have I ever taken nude photos.”

 

“You sure about that?” Natasha teased Loki, but no one put a finger down.

 

“Uhh… I’ve never smoked,” Steve offered and Natasha and Loki dropped a finger.

 

“We’re going to get killed,” Loki muttered as he took a drink.

 

“I’ve never failed a class.”

 

Loki growled and dropped another finger. “It was eighth grade! I’ve never worn sweatpants.”

 

Steve put a finger down and frowned at Loki. “How could you not have worn sweatpants? I’ve never dyed my hair.”

 

One unspoken rule they’d failed to share with Steve was that the game tended to get very dirty very quickly. It started with Natasha’s next turn. “Never have I ever had sex while drunk.”

 

Loki narrowed his eyes at her. “What kind of sex counts?”

 

“Any kind. Let’s just say if someone finished,” her mouth twisted into a smile and Loki rolled his eyes, dropping a finger.

 

“I’ve never taken birth control.”

 

“You’re a prick, Loki,” Natasha rolled her eyes.

 

“Oh, and the drunk sex question was directed at Steve?” Loki smirked.

 

“Never have I ever had a tattoo,” Steve was just trying to bring the questions back around to a comfortable place, but it didn’t seem it would take. Why couldn’t they just say they’d never sky-dived? Or something? It wasn’t that he’d never talked about this stuff, but he wasn’t sure how much he wanted to know about his friends. Or, more likely, he wasn’t sure how much he wanted them to know about him. He trusted them, of course. But he’d noticed in his time in public school that people were very judgmental about your sex life. Even if it was none of their business. Natasha and Loki probably had assumptions up to this point, but he didn’t really know if he wanted to confirm what he had and hadn’t done.

 

Loki put a finger down now and Natasha looked scandalized. “You do not have a tattoo.”

 

“I do. You just haven’t seen it.”

 

“Loki Laufeyson, you are such a liar,” Natasha accused.

 

“Not.”

 

“Then show us,” Natasha challenged.

 

“I can’t. It’s somewhere private.”

 

Natasha made a grab for Loki, but he dodged it. She did manage to pull his shirt up, but the small of his back was bare. “Where?” She asked once he was out of reach.

 

“Not telling.”

 

Steve wasn’t sure if this would end in real fighting, so he tried to steer the conversation. “You don’t have a tattoo, Natasha?”

 

“Makes you too easily identifiable,” she shrugged.

 

“Maybe you should take your turn, Natasha,” Loki prodded before Steve had too much time to think of her answer.

 

“Don’t think this is over, Loki. I’ve never done more than kissed someone of the same sex,” was Natasha’s next proclamation.

 

Steve put his finger down. And that was how he came out to his friends.

 

“I knew it.” “What?!” Loki and Natasha spoke at the same time. Steve shrugged sheepishly.

 

“What have you done?” Loki propped his arm up on the couch cushion and leaned forward. Steve backed away even though Loki was still two feet away.

 

“I was on a date with this guy named Sam back home and we went to see a movie together. And we got a little handsy, that’s all.”

 

Loki’s eyebrows were dangerously close to disappearing into his hair. “You went on a date with a guy? Why didn’t you ever mention it?”

 

“This is going to sound really, really stupid. And I should have said something before now, but there was never a chance to really say it. It only came up once and I wasn’t certain I wanted to say anything then because it was the first day we met, but I didn’t want to bring it up out of the blue later. I’m sorry I didn’t tell you. I just didn’t know who I could trust.”

 

Loki raised an eyebrow. “And you trust me?”

 

Natasha, too, seemed confused by Steve’s confession.

 

“Yes,” Steve said as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. Natasha kept her mouth closed, but she was watching them.

 

“You have to be careful about who you tell. The last person I trusted outed me to the whole school.” Steve tried not to let his realization show. Loki meant Tony, didn’t he?

 

“You’re gay?”

 

“Don’t play games with me, Steve. I know people have told you.”

 

“Well, I don’t think it’s their right to,” Steve shrugged.

 

Loki ran his thumb along his lower lip in thought, considering Steve. “Well, I prefer men, but I’m not exclusive,” he said finally.

 

“I like men and women equally.”

 

“Since we’re sharing,” Natasha stretched, her tone quickly diffusing the seriousness and the tension of the conversation. It was a relief. “I’m flexible myself.”

 

“Who are you flexible for?” Loki demanded.

 

“Ms. Hill, for one,” Natasha chuckled at Loki’s expression. She drew her knee up and rested her forearm on it. “And Sif.”

 

Loki made a disgusted sound as he got to his feet and walked over to the fridge. He plucked the ice cube tray from the freezer and knocked a few pieces of ice into his glass. “She’s a giant bitch.”

 

“Looks good in her football uniform, though,” Natasha shrugged, looking perfectly satisfied with Loki’s reaction, regardless.

 

“Jealous you can’t pull off that look, Loki?” Steve teased with raised eyebrows as he took a sip of his ginger ale.

 

Ice cube tray still in hand, Loki grabbed the front of Steve’s shirt and dumped the remainder of its contents down. Steve jumped up in shock, spilling his drink in the process of trying to get the ice out of his shirt.

 

Once the ice was safely melting on Natasha’s floor and not against Steve’s chest, he looked down at the ginger ale he’d managed to spill down his shirt and mostly on the front of his pants. “Aw, come on,” he gestured in dismay and Loki and Natasha started laughing. Steve grabbed the ice off the ground and started pelting them with it.

 

When things settled back down, Natasha was sitting behind Loki, absently braiding his hair. Loki didn’t seem bothered by it at all, as he stared at the television screen.

 

“I have a question for you guys,” Steve began.

 

“Shoot,” Natasha replied without looking up from her task.

 

“Tony invited me to a Halloween party at his house. Should I go? What are you guys doing for Halloween?” In all honesty, he’d prefer to spend it with them if they’d just give him an opening - a party or dance or some event they were planning. Something.

 

“We’re probably just going to watch some scary movies,” Natasha shrugged and

Steve felt a little disappointed. “You should go if you want to.”

 

“I don’t know what to wear. I don’t have any costumes.”

 

“You could borrow Natasha’s clothes and dress in drag,” Loki offered with a grin that lit up his eyes, completely dousing Steve’s excuse.

 

“There’s no way he would fit,” Natasha retorted, seeming to consider Steve. “He could just wear your clothes and dress as Draco Malfoy.”

 

“I do not dress like Draco Malfoy. I just like green,” he indicated his dark green shirt.

 

“And the hair gel?”

 

“Guys,” Steve interrupted imploringly.

 

“You could be some sort of superhero. You’re certainly buff enough,” Natasha suggested, but Loki rolled his eyes.

 

“No one dresses up as a superhero past the age of ten.”

 

“Think you could get a hold of a football uniform, Loki?”

 

“Sure. We’ll keep it simple.”

 

“Aren’t Halloween costumes supposed to be scary?” Steve asked the pair, feeling a bit reluctant, and Loki shrugged, but Natasha looked thoughtful.

 

“You could be a zombie football player.”

 

“Okay,” Steve conceded, “that sounds good.”

 

***

 

On Halloween, they all met at Natasha’s house, Loki holding a football uniform and Natasha providing a makeup bag. The origin of the football uniform remained a mystery, but it fit fairly well.

 

When he was done, he promised he would text when he was finished at the party and see if they were still awake. He’d love to join them for a movie, but he was also excited about the prospect of his first Halloween party.  

 

The house was already overflowing with people when he arrived. He fought the crowds into the loud house and didn’t see Tony immediately, however, he did see Bruce and Thor. The former appeared to be a mad scientist while the latter, lo and behold, a superhero, but Steve wasn’t sure which. How appropriate for both of them.

 

“Nice costume,” Bruce commented sincerely and Thor laughed.

 

“I should have done that,” he commented, but Bruce shook his head.

 

“You’re already a football player.”

 

“It would have made it easy.”

 

“Have you seen Tony around?” Steve asked.

 

“He was here a minute ago,” Bruce answered. “Hey, Steve, have you ever been to one of these before?”

 

“No,” Steve shook his head and watched a group of people playing some sort of drinking game with cups on a billiard table.

 

Thor was watching them, too. “I’ll teach you how to play,” Thor smiled widely and patted his shoulder, which was thankfully padded. Steve followed and watched the people play their game for quite a while, even giving it a try himself. He failed miserably, but it was fun.

 

“Steve! You made it!” Pepper appeared in a renaissance dress and grinned at Steve, who returned the smile in kind. “And you are an undead football player. I love it.”

 

“You look great, too,” Steve complimented back. He noticed the drink she had in hand was almost empty. “I was about to get a drink. Would you like another?”

 

“Yes, please, Steve. Thank you.”

 

He’d been to Tony’s house on a few occasions before, so he knew where the kitchen was. That was probably the best place to begin his search for drinks. Preferably unopened ones. He navigated his way through dancing girls and a drunk sophomore who almost spilled his beer on him. It was a difficult feat, considering his shoulders were much larger than he was used to. On the way, he spotted someone familiar standing in the threshold of the kitchen. “Loki!” Steve gasped in surprise and his eyes skimmed downward very briefly. He had to stifle the “wow” that was just on the tip of his tongue. He had not expected Loki to show up at the party. Even if he had not already said he had plans with Natasha, Loki had never been to one of Tony’s parties. What reason would he have to be there?

 

“Steve,” Loki glanced around to see if anyone was watching them. The action was suspicious, but he let it pass. Loki was dressed in all black leather. Very tight black leather. Steve wasn’t sure what he was supposed to be, but it was a good look for him. It made his mouth go a little dry.

 

“I thought you weren’t coming to the party!” Steve let a grin slide onto his face at the sight of his friend now that the initial shock had faded.

 

“Yes, well, thought I’d drop in to see how things were going,” he said too casually. It was then Steve noticed all the people glancing in Loki’s direction and whispering.

 

“Great! I’m just getting some drinks. Do you want me to get you anything?” Steve asked politely and then noticed some guys behind Loki making some crude, sexual gestures in his direction. Loki must have noticed Steve watching them because he turned and caught their movements. His eyes flickered both away from Steve and the guys, who were attempting to act innocent. As his mouth set into a hard line, his eyes glanced downward.

 

“I should go,” he finally said, forcing his gaze back up to Steve, but he didn’t hold it long before he passed him.

 

“Loki!” He called out, but was either ignored or not heard over the loud music. He almost forgot Pepper’s drink until he realized he was in the kitchen.

 

He returned to his friends, trying to enjoy the party, despite his mind being worriedly occupied with Loki. Why had he come to the party? And why did he leave in such a rush? Had something happened?

 

Tony came stumbling around about an hour later, just as Steve was about to give up on the party and check on Loki instead. “Steve!” He slurred his name, obviously drunk. “Steve!” He wrapped his arm around Steve’s neck and Steve quickly ducked out of it. “Hey! I found a guy for you!”

 

“Tony!” Steve tried to walk away, but Tony caught the back of his shirt.

 

“EVERYONE!” Tony shouted and pulled Steve to him. He caught the attention of most people in the room. “This is my friend Steve! I have just found out that his lady friend he likes went to the dance with Clint. So that’s sad. But it’s okay! That means he’s available!” Steve tried to get away subtly. “And he likes boys and girls, so everyone has a chance,” he patted Steve on the chest.

 

“TONY!” Pepper had just walked into the room. Her body was rigid with fury and her eyes wide with shock and disgust.

 

Steve turned on his heel quickly and rushed out of the house, not sparing one glance backward. He’d never had that feeling before. His heart pounded in his ears as he walked down the driveway of the house. He’d been beaten up numerous times, but never betrayed. How could Tony do that? He hated Tony. He hated him. His face felt hot and tears stung at his eyes, but he managed to keep them at bay as he got into the car.

 

Steve went to the best place he could think of – Natasha’s house. The drive was a struggle not to feel betrayed and humiliated and just focus on the task at hand.

 

***

 

“Tell me exactly how one gets this stupid. Were you born that way or did you take a class?” Natasha frowned, holding Loki’s head against her shoulder.

 

Loki just sighed heavily. “It was a strategic move. It benefited both parties.”

 

“You know, I know you’re really into this slutty reputation you have, but how in the hell does pretending to have sex with Fandral at Tony’s party benefit either of you?” Natasha asked incredulously, as a reprimand.

 

“Natasha,” Loki began firmly, “the whole school thinks I’m some sort of gay whore anyways, so pretend sex at a party will do nothing to change that. I ran into Fandral when I was going after a football uniform. He was trying to get some girl off his back. So, he lent me a uniform and I lent him some of my nasty reputation.”

 

“Doesn’t sound like much of a trade.”

 

“He was the only of Thor’s friends who’s ever been vaguely nice to me. It’s nice to have him indebted.”

 

“And what is Thor going to think of all this? Do you know how pissed he’ll be?”

 

“Thor doesn’t care what I do.”

 

“Now you’re lying to yourself. Thor might try to tear Fandral apart.”

 

“I don’t need him protecting my virtue.”

 

“Are you sure this isn’t a ploy to get Thor’s attention?”

 

Loki lifted his head to glare at her. “No! If I wanted his attention I wouldn’t pretend to fuck his friend for it!” Natasha sometimes understood his actions and motivations too well. Perhaps there was the slight benefit that his actions would lead to Thor either picking Loki or his friend, Fandral. After all, he had to be mad at someone – mad at Loki for corrupting his friend, or mad at his friend for fucking Loki. It would be interesting to see which side he took. Interesting to know who was more important to his brother. But that wasn’t the sole motivation. He had Fandral for whatever he wanted now. Both of them knew lending him a uniform was not nearly enough. And while Fandral was an ass, he was a man of honor. And he was grateful to Loki.

 

What he hadn’t expected was to run into Steve on the way out. That had shaken him up quite a bit. He just wanted to get in and get out.

 

“Let’s watch a movie like we planned to,” Natasha suggested.

 

A half an hour into their movie, Steve stormed into Natasha’s basement and Loki and Natasha screamed from their place on the couch, popcorn flying everywhere.

 

“Tony just outed me to everyone,” Steve’s voice was thick with tears and Natasha hopped off the couch and hugged him, dropping the popcorn on her lap to the floor.

 

“Oh no, Steve,” she murmured sympathetically.

 

“You told him?” Loki’s expression was open – confused and empathetic and worried for Steve.

 

“No! He guessed one day and I thought I managed to smooth it over! But then he went and told everyone at the party,” Steve choked, but still managed to keep tears from falling. “Why would he do that?

 

“Because he’s an asshole, Steve. That’s the kind of thing he does. He ruins people lives. Look, he’s not going to get away with this again, okay? We’re going to do something.”

 

“We are?” Steve clung to that thought with all his might and managed to swallow the lump in his throat.

 

“Tony Stark is an evil dictator. Now, how do you get rid of an evil dictator?” Once Steve had shrugged off most of his costume, Loki paced in front of him and Natasha, brandishing a plastic sword and telling them his plans. “You cut off his resources. Tony Stark would be nothing without his infinite supply of alcohol, his eye candy, and his ignorant band of loyal followers. Now, Steve, if we want this to work, you’re going to have to keep hanging out with them like nothing is wrong. Can you do it?”

 

“I can do it.”

 

“Okay, let’s rock this bitch.”


	5. Four for You, Glen Coco

Word had spread about Steve like wildfire around the school by Monday. Whispers followed him around the hallways of the school. He sidled up to his locker beside Amora, who was already collecting her books. She wasn’t looking at him, which he thought was strange. Perhaps she hadn’t heard yet. He expected a snide comment from her before anyone else.

 

When he pulled his locker open, dozens of papers spilled onto the floor. They were all of men and all pornographic. Steve felt his ears turn pink when everyone in the hallway turned to him. Amora chose this moment to close her locker.

 

“Now you know what it feels like, Rogers.”

 

Steve picked up a picture and smirked, despite the fact that he was blushing. “Aw. How did you know my favorite magazine?” He smiled and held it up to show her.

 

“Wow, Amora. How many hail Marys did you have to say to save your soul after buying all this gay porn?” Natasha was beside Steve, her eyebrow raised and a touch of a smile on her lips.

 

“I’m not Catholic. Catholics are Satan-worshippers,” Amora still seemed far too smug when she walked away.

 

Steve knelt down to pick up the papers, but he heard his name called. “Steve Rogers. My office. Now.”

 

He caught Principal Fury just turning away from him. Natasha put a hand on his shoulder. “I’ll clean it up.”

 

“Thanks,” Steve smiled up at her, but she was no longer looking cocky now that Amora was gone. Maybe she’d seen one too many friends torn apart by Tony Stark’s actions.

 

“Sit,” Fury pointed to the seat in front of the desk as he closed the door to his office. Steve was certain this was about the gay porn all over the hallway, but Fury was quiet as he sat across from him.

 

“Sir, someone put those in my locker-“ He tried to explain nervously, rubbing his sweaty palms on his jeans.

 

“I know,” Fury said seriously, looking him in the eye. “I wanted to know how you’re doing, Rogers.”

 

Steve stared. “Sir?”

 

“You are not the only student from your class who has been unnecessarily harassed by a good portion of the student body at this school. If you need anyone to talk to, our guidance counselor is always available.”

 

“Thank you, sir,” Steve responded, not sure what else to say. He hadn’t expected to be called into Fury’s office for this. For such a harsh-seeming man, he could be quite understanding. It was shocking.

 

“Feel free to inform me or another teacher if another student is harassing you. Don’t let them get to you, Rogers,” Fury said and then indicated the door. “Get a slip from the secretary and you’ll be excused for tardiness to your first class.”

 

“Thank you, sir,” Steve repeated stiffly, though he felt quite relieved that was the only reason he was called to the office.

 

***

 

Pretending that nothing was wrong turned out to be surprisingly easy. Tony didn’t remember outing Steve and Steve just pretended he wasn’t bothered by being outed to the school. He didn’t like all these people knowing something private about him. That was just meant to be for his friends. Not that he was ashamed of being bisexual. He just expected the sort of treatment he was now getting and that was why he’d been careful.

 

They kept their eyes out for any possible opening to sabotage Tony Stark, but the man was impervious to it. Loki did most of the dirty work while Steve supplied him with information. But none of it seemed to work. When Loki cut holes in his gym shirt, Tony flaunted it like it was red carpet. When Loki managed to get the blame for graffiti pinned on Tony, he acted like his three day suspension was a long weekend. Even when, through a combined effort of Steve making sure the Avengers were distracted with video games and Loki and Natasha’s supreme sneaking skills, they were able to get rid of half of Tony’s liquor supply, it was replaced within two days and Tony didn’t even seem concerned as to where it had gone.

 

Steve met with Loki at Natasha’s house after school. Instead of going inside, Natasha led them around to her backyard. They sat in the reclined chairs next to her covered pool. “Why are we stuck out here?” Loki asked, pulling his arms to himself in the cold.

 

“My parents are home. We don’t want them to overhear us talking about sabotage, do we? Besides, it’s not so bad out here.”

 

“Natasha, it’s December,” Steve pulled his jacket tighter around his chest.

 

“This isn’t working,” Loki kicked out his feet on the lounge chair. “It’s been a month and all we’ve been able to do is fill up Natasha’s basement with liquor.”

 

“We need to get that out, by the way. My parents might find it.”

 

“You’re Russian, Natasha. Your parents don’t care,” Loki told her nonchalantly.

 

“So, Steve, what are we going to do about that plan?” Natasha turned to Steve, ignoring Loki’s glare at the back of her head.

 

“I don’t know. It’s not easy to sabotage Tony. He doesn’t care if he gets in trouble, his money replaces anything he loses,

 

“What if we can get rid of Pepper and Thor in one blow?” Loki asked suddenly.

 

“What do you mean?” Hopefully “get rid of” was just Loki’s colorful way of putting it.

 

“The only things Thor cares about are football and Jane. If we can get Tony to cheat on Pepper with Jane, he’d lose his best friend and girlfriend.”

 

“Are Pepper and Tony even together?” Natasha asked, but Loki didn’t answer.

“Loki, we can’t just use people like that,” Steve disagreed.

 

 

Loki sat up from his reclining position. “Why not? He uses people, Steve! We can’t get even with him by playing nice! How can you let him get away with what he’s done?!”  

 

Steve stared at Loki, who was staring back at him with some strange, raw emotion on his face. Still, this did not dissuade him. “Another way, Loki. I’m not using people and I’m not hurting Pepper.”

 

“I can do it without your permission,” Loki shrugged.

 

Steve sat up straight now.  “Loki, you better not be serious.”

 

“He’s not,” Natasha answered for him. “Tony will dig his own grave. We just have to make sure it’s a public event.”

 

Loki deflated with both his friends against him. “Well, if no one has any ideas, can we go in? It’s freezing out here.”

 

“All right,” Natasha and Steve stood up. “But only if you’ll stop whining.”

 

“I’m not whining,” Loki replied, pushing Natasha with one arm. Natasha, close to the pool’s edge, swung her arms wildly for a moment before toppling into the pool, snapping several of the ropes holding the cover on. She plunged into the icy water and reemerged with a loud gasp. “Loki! You are a dead man!”

Loki’s laugh was both surprised and amused – Steve doubted he meant to push her in the pool.

 

“Steve! Get him!” Natasha ordered, wading over to the edge to get out.

 

“What?” Loki looked alarmed when Steve grabbed his shoulders and started pushing him towards the pool. “No! No no no no no no! Steve! It was an accident! Don’t! I swear!” Loki was pleading with him while he pushed back against Steve. When he got Loki to the edge of the pool, he gave one last push, but found Loki wasn’t there anymore. He’d sidestepped Steve and now Steve was the one who was imbalanced and fell into the freezing water.

 

“And that is why you don’t mess with the king of mischief, ladies.” Loki grinned and took a bow, but all too close to Natasha, who was just climbing out of the pool. She grabbed the front of Loki’s shirt and pulled him downward. Loki hit the water with a shriek and smacked whatever part of Natasha he could reach. “This water is freezing! You owe me dry clothes and hot chocolate!” He and Steve managed to get out of the pool and the trio rushed into the warm house. They were reprimanded by Natasha’s mom for “horsing around” near the pool (half of it in Russian, which left Steve a bit bewildered), but she made them hot chocolate and snacks regardless. They all ended up sitting around Natasha’s heater vent – Steve in some spare clothes of her father’s, and Loki in some of Natasha’s flannel pajamas.

 

“If you say anything, I swear I will kill you,” Loki glared at them, sipping on his drink. They were unisex pajamas, but they didn’t fit quite right, considering Loki was quite a bit taller than Natasha.

 

“Don’t worry. I’m the one with the reindeer sweater on,” Steve laughed good-naturedly.

 

“It’s a good look for you,” Loki smirked and Steve choked on his cocoa.

 

“Everything’s a good look for him,” Natasha added.

 

“What are you guys doing for Christmas?” Uncomfortable with the topic of his looks, Steve tried to change it conversationally.

 

“I’m going to my grandparents’ house. It’s going to be tons of fun,” Natasha said sarcastically.

 

Loki shrugged, “I’m not doing anything.”

 

“Nothing at all?” Loki shook his head. Steve was a bit concerned – Christmas had always been an important time in his home. It felt like not celebrating Christmas, or some sort of winter holiday was depriving someone of one of the best life experiences.

 

***

During Christmas break, Steve spent most of his days at home, reading, with occasional interruptions from Tony to hang out. Natasha was out of town, like she’d said, and without Natasha’s house, Loki and Steve stuck to texting.

On Christmas Eve, however, Steve couldn’t help but thinking about Loki – was he really not doing anything for Christmas? He’d never met Loki’s family. Were they mean? Were they poor? Could they not afford Christmas? It didn’t seem likely considering the car he’d seen Loki driving. It was most likely his family just didn’t celebrate that holiday. But that didn’t mean he had to spend Christmas like it was any other normal day. A day just to have good food and spend time with people you care about.

 

Eventually, the feeling ate away at him enough to text Natasha for Loki’s address. He could invite Loki over for dinner that evening. He would have asked Loki to dinner Christmas Day, if he didn’t fear his grandmother’s wrath about going out on Christmas. When he asked to borrow the car to go to Loki’s house, however, she told him he was welcome to invite Loki over for Christmas dinner, as well.

 

The thing was, apparently Loki didn’t live in a house. He lived in a freaking castle. It was really the best way to describe it. It seemed as if his parents had wanted their house to look like a Nordic castle – it even had a moat, although no drawbridge, just a driveway with a gate. Fortunately, though, the gate was open, so Steve could walk up to the obscenely large front doors from his grandmother’s car. He almost expected Lurch or Igor to answer the door, but, believe it or not, he got a bigger surprise when he knocked.

 

“Steve, my friend! To what do I owe this pleasure?”

 

Standing in the doorway, looking particularly small against it, was Thor. Steve blinked rapidly and gaped like a fish. Had he gotten the wrong house? If he’d gotten the wrong house, how in the world had he managed to find Thor’s of all people’s?

 

“I…umm…well…” He floundered for a minute – he couldn’t really say he’d gotten the wrong house. It’d sound idiotic. Looking for a house and SOMEHOW mistaking that house for the house of one of your supposed best friends? He couldn’t say he wanted to hang out – no one did that on Christmas Eve. He was still searching for an answer when he heard a familiar voice.

 

“Thor? Shut the door! It’s freezing!”

 

“Is that…?” Steve looked over Thor’s shoulder. “Loki?”

 

The accused froze in the corridor behind Thor when he saw Steve staring at him. His eyes were wide like Steve’s and he looked like a deer in headlights. Thor turned around and then smiled at them both.

 

“Loki’s right. Come in, Steve,” he moved to let Steve inside and shut the door behind him. “I assume you’ve met my younger brother, Loki, then?” He started walking and Steve followed him, although he gaped at Loki before pressing his lips together. His gasp of disbelief was muffled. Loki and Thor….LOKI and THOR were related? Were brothers?!

 

“Brother?” He mouthed at Loki, who shrugged guiltily. “I didn’t know Loki was your brother,” he said aloud to Thor. They didn’t look alike at all! And one would be hard-pressed to find two people that were more dissimilar in personality.

 

“Oh, yes,” Thor grinned, but it quickly slid from his face when they walked into a different room, leaving Loki still staring at them from the corridor. Thor turned away from Loki, leaning toward Steve and whispering, “I ask that you don’t make fun of him here. He gets enough hate at school, I don’t want him to get it at home, too. I don’t bring my friends over because of that. I know he’s…strange, but this is his home, too. Rumors are going around at school now that he’s some sort of…” Thor sighed helplessly and didn’t finish the sentence.

 

“I wouldn’t make fun of him, Thor,” Steve said earnestly and Thor nodded, giving him a wide grin when he seemed to determined Steve was sincere.

 

“I was just on the phone. I will be back,” he patted Steve on the shoulder and left, giving Steve the opportunity to find Loki. Luckily, Loki wasn’t far from where they’d left him.

 

“Brother?” He asked and Loki, seeing him, quickly shushed him and pulled him into the same room he’d just come from. “When were you planning on telling me this?”

 

“Soon!” Loki hissed back. “It’s just not easy to bring up! ‘Hey, you know that guy we’ve been trying to sabotage for weeks? Yeah. He’s my brother.’ Wouldn’t go over well, would it?”

 

“How could you sabotage your own brother?”

 

“Adoptive brother,” Loki corrected. “And it wasn’t really him we were sabotaging.”

 

“You could have told me from the beginning!”

 

“Look, everyone at the school already knows we’re related. I didn’t think about you not knowing until I remembered you wouldn’t much later. I mean, how could you know? We have different last names. We don’t look alike…” A sudden thought seemed to strike Loki. “Were you here to see me or Thor?”

 

“You, of course,” Steve snapped back instantaneously, not sparing it a thought until a strange look passed over Loki’s face.  He furrowed his brow in thought and confusion – like he’d never expected someone to want to see him over Thor, “I wanted to invite you to Christmas dinner at my house since you weren’t doing anything.”

 

“You could have just texted-“

 

“I wanted to ask in person.”

 

“You only need to ask in person when you’re asking someone on a date.” They both stared at each other after Loki’s words sunk in. “Not that you are…” Loki began and Steve nodded quickly.

 

“Right. I’m not. I just thought you might prefer to see someone on Christmas Eve. And, you know, I was curious about where you lived,” Steve managed to throw out excuses pretty well. He didn’t even understand why he’d chosen to ask in person. It just seemed like Christmas was something important – like a date – but definitely, definitely not a date.

 

“Is everything all right here?” Thor was back in the room, looking between the pair with some concern.

 

“Yeah,” Loki responded, still staring at Steve with a confused expression – searching him. “Yeah,” he said more firmly this time, turning to his brother.

 

“If Steve is causing any problems-“

 

“Not at all. In fact, he might be one of your stupid jock friends I don’t want to push off a cliff, Thor,” Loki smirked and walked out of the room. Thor looked at Steve, impressed.

 

“What did you say to him?”

 

“Nothing,” Steve lied quickly.

 

“Must have been some hell of a ‘nothing.’ He never likes my friends. For good reason, I’d say,” he paused, staring after Loki for a long moment before changing the subject. “So, Steve, while you’re here, do you want a tour?”

 

The phone in Steve’s pocket vibrated and he pulled it out to look – he’d gotten a text message from Loki.

_Christmas: yes. When?_


	6. Like a Twig. Or a Branch

Christmas break ended on a high note, at least for Steve. Tony poked and prodded at him, trying to figure out what had made him so giddy when they returned to school in January, but Steve wouldn’t tell. Perplexed as he was that Thor and Loki were siblings, he thought it only fit too well with Loki’s personality.

Had his disdain for his own brother come before or after the issue with Tony? Either way, it wasn’t something that put a smile on Steve’s face. Had Thor been the one to tell Tony about Loki’s sexuality? Or had Thor befriended Tony after he’d done that? What if Loki and Thor both had been friends with Tony? That was a weird thought.

 

With Tony around, there were a lot of parties. Practically one a week, if not more. And Steve had only ever seen Loki at one of them. Make that two.

 

This particular party was not thrown by Tony, but by a friend of his – Rhodey. Steve had only ever met him twice, as he went to a different school. Steve always found him to be shockingly straight-laced to be a friend of Tony’s, but they’d apparently known each other since childhood. Still, he was shocked Rhodey was throwing a party. It didn’t seem to be his thing.

 

Despite the fact it was the beginning of spring break, Steve didn’t want to be out too late. He’d eaten dinner with his grandmother, but he wasn’t really in the mood for a party. He made excuses to his grandmother for why he had to go out and to his friends for why he couldn’t stay long. His grandmother allowed him to take her car so he could leave as soon as he felt he’d filled his social obligation, instead of catching a ride in Tony or Thor’s car like he always did (or driving Tony, as most of these nights turned out).

 

To his shock, Loki was at the party. Steve spotted him dressed in his characteristic black attire with green accents – Slytherin chic, as Natasha had teased. However, he was more dressed up than usual – he was wearing two silver rings on his fingers and his long sleeved shirt was made of leather and a soft, expensive looking green fabric. He wore a long, black leather trenchcoat. And he was with someone. Victor von Doom – Steve still couldn’t believe that was his real name – was an exchange student from Latveria, apparently a family friend of Loki and Thor’s as well.

 

He had his arm locked with Loki’s. Steve felt a small surge of jealousy rise up in his chest and throat. Why hadn’t Loki told him he had a date with von Doom? Why hadn’t he told him he would be at the party?

 

“Why the sour look, old man?” Tony clapped him on the shoulder and Steve shrugged it off, trying to hide his scowl. He hadn’t seen Tony come over. He quickly averted his gaze from Loki, but Tony had caught what he was looking at. “Von Doom? Well, there’s no accounting for taste. Loki does really know how to ruin a good mood.”

 

Steve, rather than trying to answer, just turned on his heel and walked away. He grabbed a red cup from the coffee table on his way out. He could leave – he hadn’t had a drink yet. He glanced down at the unknown contents of the cup and sighed heavily. Who was he kidding anyways? He wasn’t going to drink. He dumped out the liquid in the bushes and sat down on the front steps heavily, leaving the empty cup behind on the railing. He dropped his head in his hands.

 

Why was he so upset about what Loki did? He hadn’t been this bothered when he’d been talking about having oral sex behind the gym! Seeing him on a date was different. It was real. What if Loki enjoyed himself? What if he liked von Doom? Steve knew it was wrong, but he could feel his skin growing hot with jealousy. After all the time they spent together, Loki went on a date with a poorly-named exchange student? He should have asked him out first! He liked Loki. He knew that. And Loki liked men. Steve was a man. Why couldn’t he just ask? Because he didn’t want to ruin their friendship, that’s why.

 

He swallowed heavily and mentally reprimanded himself for wishing Loki’s date went bad. Loki wasn’t his. He shouldn’t feel so possessive. He should be wishing Loki’s evening turned out well, like a good friend would do.

 

Yes, that’s what he would do. He’d go back into that party, watch Loki laugh, smile, and have fun. That would change his mind. He would be happy for Loki.

 

He stood up, ready to head back in, and nearly ran into Loki, his skin paler than usual and his hands shaking. He didn’t even seem to notice Steve as he pushed past him. “Loki? Are you all right?”

 

Loki stopped, shoulders hunching and his head turned to the side. His back was still facing Steve but he could now see his profile. “Yeah, I’m fine.” Steve watched Loki press his hands against his eyes, which were glistening brightly with unshed tears. He blinked them away rapidly when he turned to face Steve fully. “I’ve just… it’s these contacts,” he lied helplessly.

 

“I didn’t know you wore contacts,” Steve answered reproachfully, trying to let Loki know that he could tell he was crying without hurting his pride.

“I don’t. That’s why its – I’ve just got something in my eye,” Loki swiped at the rapidly oncoming tears again.

 

“Like a branch?” Steve asked skeptically. Could Loki just be honest for once? Had something happened with von Doom? Had Tony done something?

“Dammit,” Loki cursed, ignoring Steve and starting to storm away.

 

“Wait, Loki-”

 

“I’m fine!” Loki snapped.

 

“Do you need a ride?” Steve tried again - he wasn’t sure how to comfort Loki since he didn’t know what was wrong.

 

“No! I said I’m fine!” Loki nearly yelled at him, but he’d stopped leaving to turn and glare at Steve, cheekbones shimmering wet in the low porch lighting. “I’ll walk,” Loki quickly wiped his eyes as if he did it fast enough, Steve wouldn’t notice the tears brimming that he seemed helpless to stop.

 

“You can’t walk all the way home. Let me give you a ride,” Steve insisted and Loki took another moment to consider him. His anger dissipated as if someone had let the air out of a balloon.

 

“Okay,” he conceded and let Steve walk him to his car, which was parked a block away. Steve strolled with him off the lawn as Loki wrapped his arms around himself protectively. Steve was tempted to reach out to touch him, as he stared down at the sidewalk, but didn’t.

 

“What happened with Victor?” Steve asked gently after several moments of silence.

 

“I don’t want to talk about Victor,” Loki’s voice became thick and Steve hurried to unlock the passenger door when the got to his car. He held it open and closed it once Loki was seated inside. Steve ran around to the other side and began to drive in silence.

 

After a few minutes, Loki broke it. “Can you not take me home?”

 

“What?” Steve took his eyes off the road very briefly to look at Loki. Thankfully, there was little traffic this time of night.

 

“Can I stay at your house? Or can you take me to Natasha’s? I just don’t want to go home.”

 

“Of course,” Steve reassured him in a soft voice. “Of course you can stay with me, Loki. Any time you need to.”

 

Loki didn’t reply as he leaned his forehead against the window. His breath steamed up the window and the glow that had been there at the party had paled now. He looked more defeated than Steve had ever seen him.

 

Steve silently went through this idea in his mind. Was his room clean enough to be presentable? Which pajamas should he offer Loki for the night? Should he get them something to eat? If his grandmother was asleep, should he wake her and tell her?

No, she would be fine with Loki staying the night. He’d leave her a note so she wouldn’t be surprised in the morning. But she’d been impressed with Loki at Christmas and said he could come back any time. He was sure she would understand the situation.

 

Frankly, it didn’t matter if his room was clean or not. He wasn’t going to turn Loki away because his room was a mess and they had nowhere else to sleep in the house. And he’d just figure out what he could offer Loki when he arrived.

 

“You look amazing tonight, Loki,” Steve finally said. Loki lifted his head from the window. His eyebrow drew inwards and upwards, making Loki look like a lost puppy as he tried to read Steve. “I mean it.”

 

Loki forced himself to look away. “That was the goal.” Steve just read it as a thank you.

 

Loki didn’t seem to notice when the pulled up Steve’s driveway. He just jogged around the car and knocked on the window for Loki to lift his head. He looked surprised when Steve opened the door for him.

 

“We have to be quiet because my grandmother’s sleeping, but I can get you something to eat,” Steve offered as Loki stumbled a little bit.

 

“I’m not hungry,” he replied as he walked with Steve up to the front porch where his grandmother had left the light on for him. Loki glanced up at the light with a strange expression and then back to Steve as he fumbled with his keys.

 

They silently went upstairs to Steve’s room, Steve leading the way. “This one. The bathroom is the door at the end of the hall if you need it,” he whispered and opened the door. Loki stepped just inside and stood near the threshold, looking unsure of himself.

 

Steve closed the door behind him and turned on a lamp, so that the room was dim, but not dark. “I’ll get some extra blankets and some pillows in a minute,” he told him and walked over to his dresser. “Are you a hot or cold sleeper?”

 

Loki was chewing on his nail and purposely not looking anywhere but a fixed spot on the floor. Steve was glad his room was cluttered, but not necessarily messy. He wouldn’t have to clear a spot to sleep on the floor, at the very least. “Hot,” he replied quietly and Steve grabbed a tank top and a pair of long flannel shorts that he was sure were “officially” boxers, but they were too baggy for Steve’s liking. It was just nice on hot summer days.

 

“Is this okay?” He held them up. “I have lots of other things you could wear.”

 

“They’re fine, Steve,” Loki said quietly and took them from his hands. “Bathroom’s at the end of the hall?” He asked and Steve nodded.

 

When Loki left, Steve went to the cupboard in the hall to retrieve blankets and pillows. He didn’t know how many would make Loki comfortable, so he grabbed an armful. He only had one pillow on his bed. Loki might like multiple. He might prefer quilts over down comforters. After all, he’d said he was a hot sleeper. And Steve was going to have to make the floor as comfortable as possible for himself. He dropped the blankets and pillows off and then hurried down to the kitchen.

 

He got water for them both and dumped a bag of chips into a bowl, regardless of what Loki said. He hoped Loki would eat if it was there. He seemed a little tipsy and it would help to eat and drink some water.

 

When he returned to the room, Loki was standing back in his spot, dressed in Steve’s tank top and boxers. He glanced up when Steve came in, but didn’t comment on the food. “You sleep on the bed,” he indicated with the nod of his head since his hands were full. “I’ll take the floor.”

 

“Are you sure?” Loki asked, but sat on the edge of the bed anyways.

 

“You’re my guest, Loki.” He put the bowl and waters down on the nightstand beside his bed and began setting up his makeshift sleeping area on the floor. “Let me know if you need anything at all.”

 

Loki ran a hand through his long hair, but it got caught on a tangle, so he extracted it quickly. Steve tried to not be distracted by the vast expanse of pale skin he was seeing. He’d been Loki’s friend since September, and he couldn’t remember a time when he’d seen Loki’s bare arms, let alone his legs. Loki’s eyes followed Steve as he grabbed a handful of chips from the bowl. Loki mimicked the action.

 

Steve ate a few chips before speaking. “Do you want to talk about it?”

 

“No,” Loki said flatly and Steve took a sip of his water to hide his embarrassment. But Loki’s eyes began to water again and Steve jumped to his feet in alarm. “It’s just that… everyone thinks I’m some sort of disgusting faggot,” Loki started crying for real this time – not just tears, but sobs that wracked his body and tore through his throat. “And for the first time I’m starting to believe it.”

 

Steve was getting tired of this. Of people making Loki cry and breaking him apart. He was tired of people tearing him down every time he managed to rebuild.  Twice now, he’d held his friend in his arms and wished he could do anything to fix it. That was two times too many. “Loki…”

 

“It’s stupid. Von Doom asked me on a date. I shouldn’t have accepted - I knew it was a bad idea,” Loki’s arms were limp as Steve stroked his back. “And I was just - I don’t know what I was thinking,” he stopped as he worked through a bout of sobs muffled by Steve’s shirt. Steve knew better than to say anything as Loki tried to get it out. “At the party, he just assumed everything he’d heard about me and he grabbed me and tried to shove his tongue down my throat. I pushed him away but he just kept coming after me. I thought that he actually…” Loki shook his head, unable to go on. His arms finally did slip around Steve and he held onto him tightly. “It was foolish of me to think it was anything different.”

 

“You deserve better than this, Loki,” Steve whispered and then stood, Loki’s hands sliding from his back. He grabbed Loki’s hand and pulled him to his feet.

 

“What are you doing?” Loki asked warily, tears slowing as he looked slightly amused.

 

Steve pressed the button on his stereo and it began to play very quiet, but upbeat music. “Dance with me,” Steve smiled at him.

 

Loki just stared. “What?”

 

Steve didn’t want Loki remember this as the night a pretentious, horny exchange student shoved his tongue in his mouth. He wanted to make this night something different. Remember it as the night they ditched a horrible party and ate chips and danced to way-too-quiet music so they didn’t wake Steve’s grandma. “Come on,” he insisted, holding his smile, though he felt his blush begin to creep onto his cheeks at the ridiculous idea.

 

“You’re stupid,” Loki scoffed, but Steve held on tightly to his hand and started swaying. He didn’t care what Loki thought of him. The tears had been replaced with a reluctant smile and that was all that mattered.

 

Loki rolled his eyes, but a grin managed to crack through his tear-stained cheeks and he started to dance with Steve shyly, their fingers still barely connected.

 

They danced until they were almost too tired to stand. Steve still managed to smile at Loki and as a slow song came on his stereo, he closed the distance between them and wrapped his arms around Loki. No hesitation came from Loki as he did the same. Steve rested his head on Loki’s shoulder as they swayed together.

 

He brushed Loki’s hair from his neck. “I’m tired,” he murmured in a content voice, but made no effort to change their position.

 

“Did you forget to shave this morning?” Loki replied softly with no real conviction.

 

“Mm,” Steve gave as a non-answer.

 

“Steve,” Loki pulled back slightly and their eyes locked. “Thank you. For everything.” He’d never heard Loki sound so sincere. And he hoped it wasn’t the last time he would.

 

“Any time,” he whispered back and broke the eye contact after it became uncomfortable. “We should probably go to bed, though. It’s two in the morning.”

“Is it? I hadn’t noticed,” Loki commented, pointedly looking elsewhere as he settled into bed and Steve turned off the lamp.

 

“Have you ever read the Scarlet Letter?” Loki asked quietly in the darkness.

 

“Yeah. Last year.”

 

Loki scoffed. “You know how Hester Prynne dealt with being ostracized? She bore it in humble silence. Two concepts I am not comfortable with.”

 

“What are you doing to do?” Steve asked.

 

The resounding silence that followed was unnerving.


	7. Word Vomit

Loki groaned loudly as he rolled in bed. His head felt like it was going to burst out of his skull. Or like he was in Jurassic Park, but the tyrannosaurus was stepping on his head. He could tell, without even opening his eyes, that it was morning. He could hear birds chirping and a gust of cold air swished across his bare legs. What? Loki allowed his eyes to open and immediately regretted it. The bright light of the morning stung his eyes. He felt for the sheet twisted around his ankles and drew it up over his head to help with the transition. The sheets were blue and white striped – not his. He was in boxers and a tank top. Also not his. Now his heart was pounding in addition to his head. What had he done? Who had he…?

 

The sheets smelled comfortingly familiar, though. They smelled like… that detergent old people liked and generic soap and… chips? Oh no. They smelled like Steve. And chips.

 

Flashes came back to him. Victor shoving him against a wall. Steve’s car. A bathroom with floral wallpaper. Knocking over a bowl trying to change a song on a stereo. Crying. Steve’s arms around him. Steve’s smile.

 

He didn’t remember anything more than being close. And no one else was in the bed with Loki. He dropped the sheet, finally forcing himself to face the light and look around the room.

 

A bowl of chips had spilled onto the bed beside Loki’s pillow. There was a nest of blankets on the floor, but Steve was not among them. Loki threw his legs over the side of the bed and glanced at the clock – 9:20. Too early.

 

“Oh,” Steve’s voice was strained as he stood in the doorway, a bowl of cereal in each hand. “Good. You’re awake,” he averted his eyes quickly and stepped across the room, finding a safe place for each bowl.

 

Shit. Maybe they had done something. Loki pushed down the boxers that had ridden up his thighs and collected the bowl from the nightstand. He felt a little queasy, but knew he should eat something.

 

“Steve, did we have sex?”

 

Steve spilled some of his cereal onto his blanket. He cursed under his breath and moved away from it. His ears and neck were turning red. “No,” he paused. “You don’t remember last night.”

 

“I remember some of it,” Loki looked down at his bowl and drew a breath. “I’m sorry about that whole thing last night. I was kind of drunk. I would have never cried if I were sober. I just wouldn’t. I’m not- I don’t-”

 

“Loki, it’s not a crime to cry,” Steve stopped him before he said too much.

 

In his household, yes it was. Odin and Thor never cried. Certainly doing so himself would just prove his emotional inferiority. “Well, thank you for helping me. I should go-“ He sat his cereal down and began to stand, but Steve quickly got to his feet and stopped him.

 

“At least eat your cereal. Drink something. You’re probably dehydrated.”

 

Loki scoffed, but sat back down and took the bowl back in his hands. “You don’t drink. How do you know so much about it?”

 

Steve returned to his spot on the floor, smiling. “I know it because I don’t drink. Everyone needs a friend to make sure they get home safely and don’t end up in the hospital. I’m that friend.”

 

Loki sighed heavily. He really wished something had happened. At least then, there’d be no more beating around the bush, so to speak. And Loki would know how Steve actually felt. But Loki just couldn’t get what he wanted.

 

***

 

Thankfully, Steve had spring break to come down from his encounter with Loki. By the Wednesday they were back in session, he was able to talk to Loki normally without thinking of Loki in thin boxers pressed close against him, so that Steve felt every inch…

 

“Steve,” Loki had seen him come out of the classroom and was walking beside him now. Steve double checked to make sure no one was paying them any attention.  “Are you coming to Natasha’s house this weekend?”

 

“I have to go to Madison with my grandmother this weekend,” Steve offered apologetically. It was the truth. His grandmother had planned the trip to visit his aunt several weeks ago. It helped make the decision for him and he was grateful. Because the problem was – he wasn’t sure if he wanted to see more of Loki or less of him. Obviously, his heart, and maybe a few other places said more. But his head said less. He was dangerously close to crossing a line and he didn’t know if he could sabotage their friendship. And, to be honest, he didn’t want to be Victor von Doom, forcing his affections onto Loki. Not that he would do anything like that. ever. But if he told Loki how he felt so soon after that incident… it might do more than make him uncomfortable.

 

“Oh.” Loki’s tone was noncommittal. Steve wished he could read it as disappointment.

 

“I’d rather be spending time with you,” he shrugged, hoping it would come off as casual, but hoping to catch a reaction from Loki. He didn’t get one. “I’ll text you,” Steve promised.

 

“Oh, and, Steve,” Loki looked at Steve over his shoulder. “Hope you’re staying until fifth period,” he smirked and left.

 

What did THAT mean?

 

“My car broke down in the middle of nowhere!” Tony shouted, slamming his tray down at lunch.

 

“What?” Bruce asked, having jumped at the abrupt gesture.

 

“And the engine just failed! I take care of those damned cars like children! How the fuck does it break down?!” Steve looked away guiltily as Tony ranted. He had done something to one of Tony’s cars, hadn’t he? It had been so long ago, he’d completely forgotten about it since apparently Tony didn’t drive the car very often. “I missed too many classes this year! I’m going to fucking fail and get suspended just because of that fucking car! And now, I’m grounded! First time ever. You know why? Because my father loves that goddamned car.”

 

Sometimes Steve forgot Tony even had parents. He was shocked that he’d been subject to any punishment ever.

 

“So this means no party this weekend?” Bruce’s tone was relieved, but Tony shook his head.

 

“I didn’t say that. We just have to have it somewhere else and I’ll sneak out. Bruce?”

 

“Can’t. Dad’s going to be home all weekend waiting on a conference call.”

 

“There’s no way I could rid the house of my mother, father, and brother,” Thor responded when Tony’s gaze turned to him.

 

“I have to go to Madison with my grandmother,” Steve replied quickly, hoping this would excuse him, but the expressions were not ones of disappointment – but glee. Oh no. He’d just said his house was empty for the weekend.

 

“So, your grandmother will be out of town for the weekend,” Tony would have smirked if he wasn’t in such a bad mood.

 

“I’m going with her!”

 

“No, you’re not. Get out of it.”

 

“But-“

 

“It’s not ideal, but we can make it work. Perfect. Party at Steve’s house Friday at eleven. Come and get me at midnight, Thor,” Tony rattled off easily and disappeared, leaving Steve feeling very, _very_ worried.

 

News traveled fast in the school. By his third class of the day, he’d already had at least ten different people tell him they were coming. He could already tell this was going to get out of hand.

 

He sighed as he leaned inside his locker, trying not to slam the door against his head in frustration. He would have to get everything under control. He’d already called his grandmother between classes and told her he was sick and couldn’t go with her. Steve ran a hand through his hair. He hated lying to her. Hated it.

 

“Who’s throwing the party?” He heard someone near his locker ask.

 

“Steve Rogers.”

 

“Who?”

 

“Tony’s friend. The blonde one that’s not Thor.”

 

“Is that the gay one?”

 

Steve slammed his locker shut. He was tempted to correct them, but it wasn’t worth it. It wasn’t like they cared. He slung his bag over his shoulder and pulled his phone out of his pocket. _Meeting. Now._ Steve texted Natasha and Loki.

_Usual place?_ Natasha answered first.

 

 

Within five minutes, they were locked inside the mostly unused girls’ bathroom on the second floor - just the three of them standing by the sinks despite the fact the bell for class had rung about a minute ago.

 

“-and now I don’t know what to do,” Steve finished explaining the situation to them.

 

“Steve, you do know there’s a difference between being a pushover and being polite, right?” Natasha touched her temple briefly, as if it would help her get through the situation.

 

“Yes,” Steve frowned back, crossing his arms over his chest defensively. He wasn’t a pushover. He never let Tony bully him into drinking or anything harmful. This however… Steve might have let Tony push him over a line. “Look, what’s done is done. What should I do? I can’t try to un-invite the entire school.”

 

“Lock all the doors and call the cops if anyone comes onto your property,” Loki suggested.

 

“I don’t want everyone to hate me.”

 

“It’s not that bad.”

 

“The important people will still like you,” Natasha shrugged, examining her nails.

 

“I’m serious,” he frowned.

 

“Well, Steve, if you don’t want to get rid of everyone, you’re just going to have to grin and bear it. Do damage control where you can. Loki and I will come and try to make sure no one destroys your grandmother’s house.”

 

“Excuse me? Who said I would come?” Loki cocked an eyebrow at her. “Steve got himself into this mess. He can handle it.”

 

Natasha’s eyes widened meaningfully and they stared at each other while Steve tried to decipher their silent argument.

 

Steve had known them long enough that he could guess some of the things they were fighting about.

 

_I don’t want to go to a party._

 

_Steve needs you._

 

_He’s supposed to be an Avenger. If he’s seen with us, it’ll blow his cover._

 

_Oh please, this all stopped being about the Avengers months ago._

 

_What does that mean?_

 

_It means Steve is more important to you than revenge on the Avengers. Go help him because you like him._

 

_I don’t like him!_

 

_I am so done with you two right now._

 

Okay, maybe they couldn’t have that entire argument wordlessly, and Steve just added the last few parts thanks to his imagination. Because in his mind, Loki sounded defensive in a way that implied he did like Steve. That wasn’t Loki’s way. However, the scenario in his mind did end with the annoyed exasperation that Natasha’s expression had now.

 

“You don’t have to come, either of you,” Steve said quickly. “I’ll handle it. Don’t worry.”

 

Natasha didn’t ask if he truly felt that way, but she did scrutinize him to figure out if he was sincere. She seemed relatively satisfied when she said, “Then let’s get back to class before some sexy rumors start going around about us.”

 

Steve laughed. “That would be my favorite rumor, I think.”

 

***

 

Natasha strode into the principal’s office without permission, pink book tucked under her arm. Fury, however, didn’t seem surprised by her sudden intrusion.

 

“Miss Romanoff. What can I do for you today?”

 

“I just wanted to bring this to your attention,” she tossed the book onto his desk and sat down, crossing her legs. “I found it in the girls’ bathroom.”

 

Fury raised an eyebrow at her and flipped open the front cover. His expression incrementally grew in surprise as he went through the pages. “Looks like someone has a serious bone to pick with the students here,” he stopped at a page as he read it silently, shaking his head a bit. “We’ll find out who it is.”

 

“I looked through it. There’s only one student in the whole school who’s not in it.”

 

***

 

Steve was in the middle of doing math problems in fifth period, glancing at the clock seven times in the span of two minutes. Why did Loki want him around for fifth period? What was he going to do? Nothing that would get him in serious trouble Steve hoped.

 

Steve was seated in the front and was the first to hear the rustling of papers. Flyers of some sort were slid under the classroom door. One slid right under Steve’s shoe. He picked it up curiously, seeing his picture on the paper. _Steve Rogers is a patriotic ass._

 

What?

 

Students were getting out of their seats to grab at the papers. Before the teacher could stop them, they burst out the door just as the bell rang, snatching up more papers that littered the halls. The handwriting was feminine and each note had a slur or accusation and a picture of the student. Loki Laufeyson is a fag? Victor von Doom smuggles drugs in from Latveria? Natasha Romanoff made out with Clint Barton and Pepper Potts?

 

Papers were being ripped from the walls and from other students, some desperate to collect the flyers that were about them, others just wanting to read every single accusation they could find. Arguments began to spring up – people accusing others of making the flyers, others accusing their friends of telling whatever truthful accusation was on the pages.

 

Steve looked up from the flyer in his hands and, in the midst of the chaos, Loki was standing at the top of the stairs, arms folded over his chest. He watched the scene unfolding in front of him like a king over his kingdom, smirking. Steve marched up to him right away. “Loki, what did you do?”

 

“I didn’t do anything,” he shrugged innocently. “After all,” he plucked one of the papers from Steve’s hand – he’d been trying to collect all the ones that were about Loki or Natasha, “Why would I write that I was a fag?”

 

Steve grabbed Loki’s arm and pulled him along into a classroom, which was currently vacant. “Loki, you’re going to get in trouble for this. What is your plan? If you write a bunch of false accusations-“

 

“Not all of them are false.”

 

“What?”

 

“Well, enough of the accusations are true that they’ll look into all of them. One of the accusations may get an exchange student expelled and deported,” Loki tried to appear casual as he said this, but Steve could tell that thought was particularly satisfying to him. “And I carefully omitted one student from the book so that the blame would be pointed elsewhere.”

 

“Tony Stark?” Steve felt a little exasperated.

 

“No, of course not,” Loki scoffed. “This is not the sort of thing Tony Stark would do. No one would believe it was him for a minute. Amora, on the other hand…”

 

“Loki, Amora knows she didn’t do it. Do you know who she’ll immediately point to?”

 

“And what evidence will she have?”

 

Steve sighed heavily and then held up the paper with his picture on it. “Patriotic asshole?”

 

“Your boxers had the American flag on it. I thought it was clever.”

 

Steve stared at Loki for a long moment. “I can’t decide if you’re a  genius or a lunatic.”

 

“Don’t they sort of go hand in hand?”

 

Loki was right. (Except about his play on words. It wasn’t clever.) And so was Steve. Amora immediately tried to pin the blame on Loki, but, despite his reputation as a devious trickster, no one believed he wrote a giant pink book with hateful things about everyone in the class, including himself.

 

Amora was not punished, but neither was Loki - her group being the only ones to think him the perpetrator.

 

Thankfully, only one physical altercation had broken out that day, so there was no permanent damage, except to several friendships and personal reputations. Loki had figured out how to target people. His, Steve’s, and Natasha’s didn’t affect their lives. Using an insult or slur didn’t result in much. It was the accusations that were tearing people apart – and all of the people Loki hated most were slapped with those. The Avengers, however, weren’t bothered by what was written on the papers. To Steve’s surprise, the paper with Bruce just contained an insult – did Loki not hate Bruce? The accusation against Thor was false, surprisingly, and no one believed it. Tony, on the other hand, wore his accusation with pride.

 

Whatever the case, Steve just wanted this back-and-forth revenge to stop. Between the Avengers. Between Amora. All of it. If only it were that easy.

 

_***_

 

Friday afternoon, Steve walked out to get on his bus to head home, dreading the disaster that would be a party at his house. It was louder than usual and he noticed the school’s group of religious fanatics were holding up signs, led, as always, by Amora. Steve tilted his head as he squinted his eyes, trying to read them despite the distance and the movement of the signs. Did one of them say “expel Loki?” Another one said “FAG” in giant black letters.

 

“Oh, that’s creative,” Steve jumped when he heard Loki’s voice beside him. “I could have written much better signs.” His voice was dripping with disdain, but he didn’t hesitate as he passed Steve. Steve followed him quickly as Loki strode towards the group. He hoped Loki wasn’t going to do anything rash, but he was more concerned about Loki getting hurt. After all, no matter how bad Loki liked to think he was, it was a mob against one.

 

“Go to hell, Loki!” He heard one of the boys holding the signs yell and Loki strode over to him. Seeing the glint of hatred and anger in Loki’s eyes, Steve grabbed his arm when he was just five feet away from the nearest protestor and stood between them.

 

“Get out of here,” he told the group of people in no uncertain terms. He made the threat very clear in his tone. “You can’t harass people on school grounds.”

 

“Let go, Steve.” Loki jerked his arm out of Steve’s grasp and started walking back towards the school, his lips set in a hard line.

 

“Don’t worry about them,” Steve reached to grab him once more, but his hand captured Loki’s wrist in a gesture that felt strangely intimate. His grip loosened slightly at his friend’s glare. He knew this was hurting Loki. It was wearing him down. He thought about Loki in his ill-fitting pajamas and soaking wet hair, about his head leaning against the cold glass of Steve’s car, hair dangling in his eyes, looking defeated, and about holding him close in the middle of the night, reeking of alcohol, but warm in his arms. Suddenly he felt anger surge through his veins. “Screw all these people, Loki.”

 

One of the students overheard them, however. “Haven’t you heard? He already did.”

 

Steve pulled his fist back and punched the student so hard he was knocked off his feet. Blood appeared on the other student’s fingertips as he reached up to cover his nose.

 

“Steve, I can handle this,” he seemed to be angering Loki more by his actions. Why couldn’t Loki see he was defending him?

 

“You don’t need to.” And Steve genuinely meant it. Loki had Steve now. He wouldn’t stand for people treating his friend this way.

 

“Rogers,” Steve nearly jumped out of his skin at the sound of Fury’s voice from just over his shoulder. “Care to explain why Mr. Adams has a bloody nose?”

 

“Probably ran into that stick that’s up Amora’s ass, sir,” Loki offered innocently.

 

“Detention Saturday, Rogers. You, too, Mr. Laufeyson. I’m not in the mood for your sass today. The rest of you, disperse before I suspend you,” he glared with his good eye at the group of protesters.

 

Whatever response the group may have had was drowned out by the sound of screaming and a car engine. Steve was nearly knocked to the ground by a protester as a car drove into their midst. Tony Stark had backed his convertible straight into the protest.

 

“Oh, I’m sorry,” Tony smiled apologetically at the now-scattered group – clearly fake. “I didn’t see you guys there. Must not have had my douchebag detector on. Totally my fault.”

 

“Tony?” Steve stared in shock.

 

Tony frowned at Steve and Loki. “Get in, losers,” he ordered and then added after a beat, “Loki in the back.”

 

“Mr. Stark,” Fury called as Steve opened the front door to get into the vehicle. Loki didn’t budge. “Cancel your plans this Saturday. You’ll be joining your friends in detention.”

 

“I’ll have to move some things around, but I think I can make it,” Tony deadpanned and turned his attention to Loki. Steve was now in the front seat, but Loki was standing ten feet away with his arms crossed. “I know you want to stay here with your biggest fans,” he nodded towards some people still clutching their signs, many of them getting to their feet, “but it might be better to leave now than wait until Thor shows up to protect his little brother’s virtue.”

Loki clenched his jaw, but swung into the backseat of the convertible. Clearly riding with an enemy did less injury to his pride than his brother coming to his rescue.

 

“Wow, Loki, I’m impressed,” Tony put his hand on the back of Steve seat as he turned to see him. “That’s like… nine people who want you gone. I mean,” he faced forward as he put his car into drive and the tires tore up the grass of the lawn as he gunned it off school property, “I’ve had at least fifty people tell me to eat shit this weekend, but I have to admire the fervor you instill.”

 

Loki didn’t answer. He looked like he was considering how much it would hurt to jump from the moving car. Steve buckled his seatbelt as Tony took a turn rather sharply.

 

The wind rushed by them loudly as they picked up speed. Steve glanced back to see Loki looking rather sour while his long hair flew into his face. Tony caught his look and leaned over, opening up the glove compartment. “Give Alice Cooper back there one of these.” He held up a black ponytail holder to Steve and closed the compartment.

 

Steve held it out and Loki took it, though he didn’t glare any less. “Why do you have those?” Steve asked loudly over the wind, as he watched Loki gather his hair at the nape of his neck.

 

“For Pepper,” Tony shrugged – he seemed to have mastered the art of talking in a convertible. Steve heard him clearly, but it didn’t seem like he was shouting.

 

They sat in silence for about thirty seconds before Tony said, “Well, this is awkward. Do you guys listen to Black Sabbath? AC/DC?” Silence from the passengers. “No? Didn’t think so,” he turned on the stereo regardless. “Steve, you listen to…what? Oldies, right? Loki, you strike me as a showtunes sort of guy.”

 

“Let me out of the car.”

 

“Well, I would, but we’re going like…” Tony glanced down at his speedometer, “fifty miles an hour. Might be a bit painful.”

 

Steve tried to look back at Loki again, but Loki was staring back at him with murder in his eyes, so Steve settled into the front seat. Tony pulled off the highway and into the parking lot of a McDonald’s suddenly.

 

“What are you doing?” Steve asked when he parked.

Instead, Tony turned back to Loki. “You want a little revenge?”

 

Loki took a moment to stop staring at them with utter hatred to look incredulous. “What?”

 

Tony pulled his phone out of his pocket and unlocked the screen. “Just a little instant gratification,” he smirked. He put the phone to his ear. “Incantare on South Boulevard.”

 

“What about caller ID?” Loki leaned over the seat now, curious.

 

“Not when you came from information.”

 

Loki looked mildly, reluctantly impressed.

 

“Hello, may I speak to Amora Incantare?” Tony asked, sounding much more official and polite than Steve had ever heard him. What was he doing? “This is Robert from Planned Parenthood. I have her test results. If you can have her give me a call as soon as she can, it’s urgent. Thank you.” Tony hung up the phone and raised his eyebrow at them, looking thoroughly pleased with himself. “That should keep her busy for a while.”

 

“That was… good,” Loki conceded, eyeing Tony as if he’d never seen him before. Tony shifted his car back into gear and pulled out onto the highway.

 

“Where are we going?” Steve yelled to Tony over the radio and wind.

 

“Well, I’m grounded, so I’m taking you both home and I’m going to spend the evening overriding the security protocols so I can sneak out for Steve’s shindig tonight.”

 

Steve groaned inwardly. He’d almost forgotten. Almost.

 

***

After what happened earlier in the day, Steve just couldn’t get in the mood to party. He set out some snacks and made a bowl of punch. He knew it would be inadequate, but he couldn’t go out and buy a lot, either. And he would need the punch to drink himself since he was sure people would bring alcohol.

Within an hour, his house was absolutely overflowing with people. Music was pumping through his grandma’s old speakers; people were spilling drinks everywhere, and someone was tossing his grandmother’s vase around.

 

“Stop that! What are you doing?!” Steve snapped and grabbed the vase from them, securing it safely beneath the sink.

 

Feeling hot, he took a cup of the punch he’d made earlier, only to choke on it. What had someone done to the punch? That was a rhetorical question. He knew quite well it had been spiked. He put the drink down, but then stared at it, reconsidering. He didn’t want to be hung over for detention the next morning. But he also felt pretty miserable, too. What was he going to do about Loki? He was certain he must have hurt his friend. Hurt his pride. Steve had only intended to do what he thought was right – to be a good friend. After all, Bucky had done that for him for many years. But maybe he did understand how it felt to have someone else fight your battles. He hadn’t meant the gesture selfishly. He’d only wanted to help.

 

On any other night, Steve would have put on his headphones and listened to his music on maximum, or gone for a drive, or sat down and drawn for hours. But he couldn’t leave the house and he couldn’t have peace. And the music that was playing was not the type to help him clear his head or help his stress.

 

He would get buzzed and then he would stop. You didn’t get hungover from being buzzed. He wasn’t sure what that felt like, but he was fairly certain he would know when to stop before going too far.

 

But he wasn’t going to drink the open punch. Finding an unopened bottle, however, wasn’t too difficult. The drink stung going down, but Steve managed to only make a face.

 

Halfway through his second bottle, it was harder to move around and his body started to grow warm. He was having a harder time avoiding obstacles, though he thought he was doing just fine until he bumped into them. It occurred to Steve then – was “buzzed” a description of the feeling he should have or was it just a turn of phrase?

 

“Steve!” It was Bruce, and he was smiling, though he looked slightly concerned. “Great party.”

 

“Well, my grandmother went away for the weekend, so I thought I’d try it,” he smiled back at him, feeling oddly light headed.

 

“Yeah, I know,” Bruce’s brows scrunched together in confusion and he spoke slowly, as if to a child. “Steve, are you drunk?” There was no way he was drunk yet. He didn’t feel any better about the situation with Loki.

 

“I don’t know,” Steve replied honestly and Bruce took the drink out of his hand gingerly. “I don’t think so,” he swayed a bit on the spot.

 

“I do. Come on, sit down,” Bruce took his arm and ushered him over to the occupied couch.

 

“This is only my second one, Bruce, I’m fine. My mind is just… elsewhere, that’s all,” Steve tried to alleviate his worry. After all, he was thinking pretty clearly… just not on what was in front of him.

 

“Steve? Bruce?” Pepper walked over to them. “Is everything okay?”

 

“I just wanted to get Steve off his feet for a few minutes,” Bruce glanced over at the couch with a worried look.

 

“Come on, get up,” Pepper said to the people occupying it. They left as soon as she ordered it. Bruce sat next to him on the couch.

 

“I feel hot,” Steve commented. It was true. His hands and feet felt warm. And he couldn’t seem to properly account for his body. He thought he was moving just fine, but he was uncoordinated. Words slipped past his lips without his approval or his control. “Maybe you’re right. I am a little tipsy,” he sighed. “I just… why can’t I be drunk for once?”

 

“You’re welcome to be drunk whenever you want. But you should probably slow down so you don’t make yourself sick,” Bruce patted his shoulder. “This just isn’t like you.”

 

“I know, I know,” Steve sighed heavily. “I hate to admit this, but sometimes its difficult to be standing in the shadow of you, Tony, and Thor.”

 

Bruce looked stunned. “You’re in MY shadow?” A pained expression crossed his face. “Steve, Maybe Tony and Thor have never felt inadequate, but I know that feeling, too. But I realized you just can’t keep comparing yourself to other people or it will be your downfall.”

 

“But I’m not enough for your group, am I?” Steve had to blink a few times to focus on Bruce. “That’s why Tony’s not here, isn’t it?”

 

“Tony’s not here because he never gets anywhere on time,” Pepper interjected. “You’re his friend, Steve. He likes you. He’ll come.”

 

Steve just sighed.

 

Pepper sat on the other side of him. “I wouldn’t worry about Tony. Thor’s not here, either. They may have gotten caught up. Besides, I think you have some people that are more important to you than us.”

 

Steve’s heart pounded in his chest as he looked at her. “What do you mean?”

 

Pepper smiled sympathetically. “I know you hang out with Loki and Natasha. A lot more than you do with the rest of us.”

 

“No, we don’t!” Steve denied quickly, defensively. “How do you know that?”

 

“Natasha and I talk. And I’ve seen the way you look at Loki on more than one occasion.”

 

“Tony and Thor may not have caught it, Steve,” Bruce added, “but it’s pretty obvious how you feel about him. How he feels about you.” Had they talked about this before?

 

“How he feels about me?” Steve blinked. They couldn’t be right, could they? Steve felt hope blossoming in his chest as he thought about the possibility that maybe they saw something he didn’t. He stood up.

 

“Whoa, whoa,” Bruce jumped off the couch as well. “Where do you think you’re going?”

 

“I-“

 

“You’ve had a few drinks, Steve,” Pepper put her hand on his back. “Sit down. Wait until tomorrow. Didn’t you two get detention, anyways?”

 

“How did you-“ Oh right. She probably heard from Tony or Natasha - the latter likely informed by Loki.

 

Steve groaned and leaned back onto the couch, pressing his hand to his forehead. “I didn’t even want this party to happen.”

 

Pepper frowned. “Why didn’t you just say so?” She got to her feet. “COPS!” She shouted and the people closest to her scattered immediately, others being informed as they rushed out. Within ten minutes, even the people who had relegated themselves to quieter spots of the house were gone.

 

Steve whistled, impressed. “Wow.”

 

“You have to make sure to do it before people are passed-out drunk,” Pepper shrugged and looked around Steve’s now-trashed home. “Need help cleaning up?”

 

Steve laughed in relief and smiled up at her. “Pepper, you are amazing.”

 

“I know,” she returned the smile and started picking up cups.

 

Without saying a word, Bruce got to his feet and tossed the throw pillows back onto the couch.

 

“Thank you, guys. I mean it.” Steve didn’t care if he’d started out hanging with the Avengers under false pretenses. He wasn’t faking being their friend.


	8. Screws Fall Loose All the Time

The library was silent and completely empty when Steve arrived Saturday morning. He felt sleepy, but was thankfully not hungover. He selected a front seat and sat quietly, awaiting his punishment. He didn’t think it was entirely deserved. He knew they had to keep the peace at the school, but he didn’t hurt anyone who hadn’t deserved it. Still, he felt some shame in his actions, mostly because of how they affected Loki. He’d hurt Loki, he knew. He would never do that purposely. Especially to Loki’s pride, which he guarded vehemently.

 

Loki’s entrance was only conspicuous because he was late and the room only contained Steve. He glared at Steve and slid into a chair one row back and four seats over from Steve.  Steve felt guilt settle in the pit of his stomach. He hadn’t meant to make Loki this upset with him. What if Pepper was right about Loki… and Steve had destroyed anything between them? His thoughts must have somehow shown on his expression because Loki looked confused, briefly, and averted his eyes.

 

And, finally, Tony arrived last, choosing a seat to the back and propping his feet up on the desk in front of him like he owned the place.

 

The vice principal, Coulson, walked into the room just as Tony appeared. “It is now eight o’ four. You have four hours to think about why you’re in here. No talking, no moving, and no sleeping. I will be through that door at all times. There will be no monkey business. You will serve your detention and you will leave.”

 

As soon as Coulson was out of sight, Steve turned around to look at Loki, desperate for his forgiveness. “Loki, about yesterday-“

 

“I don’t want to hear it, Rogers,” Loki didn’t even look in his direction – he was texting on his phone instead. The use of his last name stung Steve more than he would like to admit.

 

“I really want to apologize-“

 

“Save it for someone who cares,” Loki interrupted him again, still seemingly distracted by his phone. Steve was starting to feel frustrated and he ran a hand through his hair.

 

“Would you just let me apologize?“

 

Loki was ignoring him now, texting something on his phone rapidly. Maybe waxing philosophical about how much he hated Steve. Loki was silent now, so Steve yanked a piece of paper from his bag and scribbled on it. He would just have to try a different approach, he figured. Maybe he could get through to Loki another way - get them talking so at least he would listen to his apology. He balled up the piece of paper and tossed it behind him to Loki.

_I wonder if Barry Manilow knows Coulson raids his wardrobe._

 

He heard the paper being unravelled and Loki’s scoff, but there was no other response.

 

So, he ripped another sheet of paper out of his notebook and wrote, _do you know how popular I am? I am so popular. Everybody loves me at this school._ Steve just hoped Loki recognized the quotes and didn’t think Steve was saying those things about himself. He tossed the paper over his shoulder again and waited to see if Loki would respond to this one.

 

It landed right back in front of him so fast, he was certain Loki hadn’t written anything on it, but he had.

 

_Eat my shorts._

 

Steve laughed out loud at the note - feeling immediately relieved. He glanced back at Loki, who was still glaring, but he was looking at Steve now, at least. He wrote on the piece of paper he had earlier ignored and threw it at Steve.

 

_I know what you’re doing._

_What’s that?_

_You’re trying to turn this detention into Breakfast Club quotes_ , Loki scribbled back.

 

Feeling a bit more bold now, he turned around in his chair. Loki’s glare had lightened up to more of an annoyed scowl. It no longer looked like he was plotting Steve’s brutal murder in his mind.

 

“You’re sexy when you’re angry,” Steve dared.

 

Tony’s chair legs slammed back onto the floor.

 

He didn’t miss the slight twitch of Loki’s lips or that his pale skin started to turn a bit pink. However, he wasn’t done being mad at Steve, it seemed. “Why are you even talking to me right now?”

 

“Because we’re friends.”

 

“Friends don’t embarrass their friends in front of an entire group of people that hates them,” Loki snapped. “I can fight my own battles, Steve. I’ve been doing it long before you came and I remain perfectly capable of handling them without you.”

 

“I was just trying to help-“

 

“Is that always going to be your excuse? You can’t just run around hurting people in the name of helping them. And then pretend everything is okay the next day!”  He quickly dropped his head, hiding his expression.

 

Steve got up from his seat immediately and knelt in front of Loki’s desk, so that he was much shorter, but was now in Loki’s line of sight. He reached forward and took Loki’s hands so that his phone fell on the desk. Loki’s eyes grew wide as Steve stared up at him, apology etched all over his features. “I never meant to hurt you. And I know everything isn’t okay. I didn’t mean to hurt you and I feel so guilty. And I can never be sorry enough. I just thought… maybe you don’t have to fight your battles alone, that’s all.”

 

Loki snatched his hands from Steve’s grip, bumping his phone and sending it skittering across the floor. However, neither of them bothered to retrieve it. “You’re not bad at apologies.”

 

Steve exhaled, feeling a weight lift off his shoulders instantly. “So... “ he started, not daring to assume he was forgiven, but hoping Loki would say he was anyways.

 

“Don’t think you’re off the hook, but we’re better.”

 

“I really mean it, Loki. It was a huge mistake on my part. I’m so sorry.”

 

Loki shrugged and averted his eyes. “Screws fall out all the time. The world is an imperfect place,” he cocked an eyebrow at Steve, who grinned at the quote. Loki was nearly smiling. That was good enough for him.

 

“Wow.” They both turned to look at Tony, who was watching them with his sunglasses tilted down his nose. “Oh, don’t mind me. I’m not even here.”

 

Steve got up quickly and sat in the seat in front of Loki, feeling the awkwardness of the situation happening in front of a third party. And Loki had said he wasn’t completely forgiven, so now wasn’t quite the time to confront him about any feelings he may have… or may have _had_.

 

At the very least, it was best not to do it in front of Tony.

 

“So, if you two want to Breakfast Club this thing, are we going to get up to antics that are going to make us closer or what?”

 

“Actually, I really don’t want another detention, so I think it’s probably better just to sit here. After all, it’s only four hours,” Steve shrugged.

 

“I don’t feel like wasting another four hours of my life,” Loki agreed quietly when Tony looked at him expectantly.

 

“Eh,” Tony frowned slightly in acceptance, “I hate that movie anyways.”

 

“Me, too,” Loki muttered. It took him a moment, but he locked eyes with Tony, seeming regretful that he’d just agreed with his self-appointed mortal enemy.

 

Seeing the tension, Steve jumped in. “How can you not like that movie?”

 

“It’s contrived,” Tony responded.

 

“Who tells their whole life story to a stranger?” Loki rolled his eyes.

 

Steve really didn’t care about the topic of conversation, but he cared enough about what was occurring to keep it going, and keep them distracted from the fact that they were talking to each other pleasantly.

 

“And then all Natasha can find that fits Steve is an old Christmas sweater of her father’s-“ Loki is explaining, over three hours later, as they all sat in a circle of chairs around Loki’s original seat.

 

“Well, Steve is a handsome beefcake, isn’t he?” Tony smirked, giving Steve an obvious once-over.

 

“Well, Loki had to wear Natasha’s old flannel pajamas.”

 

“I pulled it off better.”

 

“Please. They were five inches too short. You looked like you raided Bilbo Baggin’s wardrobe.”

 

“Wow. What a witty pop culture reference by Steve Rogers,” Loki’s voice practically dripped with sarcasm, but his raised eyebrows made his smirk playful.

 

Tony didn’t say anything as he watched them go back and forth, his expression amused.

 

“I see the three of you have gotten acquainted,” Coulson had appeared back in the library, but he seemed satisfied rather than bothered they had broken at least two of the rules he’d set up. “You’re free to go,” he nodded to the door and strolled back to his office.

 

Steve stood up and grabbed his bag from his former seat. Loki and Tony, neither of whom had brought anything, waited for him, trying to act like they didn’t notice the other standing there.

 

“What are you two doing when you get home?” Steve asked them as they walked, trying to keep up the tone of the last few hours.

 

“Going back to sleep,” Tony said as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

 

Loki just shrugged.

 

When they stepped outside and stood in the threshold for a brief moment, Tony said, “You two make a pretty cute couple, by the way.”

 

“What?” They both stared at him incredulously. Steve felt his heart jump into his throat.

 

“You suit each other, is all I’m saying.”

 

Steve didn’t want to deny it. He didn’t want to throw up a wall like he’d done so many times, so he was quiet. But it was Loki who said it this time, “We’re not together, Stark.” He sounded bitter as he started walking away. Steve made to take a step, but Tony caught him.

 

“If you’re really not together, I should show you something,” Tony reached into his pocket and handed Steve Loki’s cellphone. When had Tony picked it up? Steve had forgotten all about it. Apparently Loki had, too.

 

Steve pressed the button on the side that turned the screen on and was met with a picture of himself. On the screen was the picture Steve had sent him just before homecoming. He was grinning beside his grandmother’s meatloaf and he looked ridiculous. Steve stopped breathing.

 

Tony smacked him on the ass. “Go get him, tiger,” he said with a smirk and strolled away.

 

Steve stared at the background of Loki’s phone for another long moment before he took off after his friend.

 

“Loki!” He called when he saw Loki starting to get into his car in the parking lot.

 

“Need a ride, Steve?” Loki leaned against the black sedan as Steve slowed to a stop in front of him.

 

“You forgot your phone,” Steve held it out to him – the screen now black again – and the color drained from Loki’s face. He snatched it out of Steve’s grip immediately and tucked it into his pocket.

 

Steve drew a breath to try to calm his pounding heart. He could feel his body heating up and his stomach churning as the stood in front of Loki. _Say something. Say something. Say. Something._ He thought he would be sick, but he felt his resolve beginning to waver, so he tried to take the plunge. “So…” He broke the silence.

 

Loki stared at him, but nothing was forthcoming as Steve’s mind raced without letting him grasp at any complete sentence to begin with. “So?”

 

“Isn’t there some sort of… dance… thingy… in the spring?” Steve was stumbling over his words, and he couldn’t quite seem to remember all of the English language, but at least his lips were moving and sounds were coming out.

 

Loki looked amused. “Why, yes, Steve. There is a dance thingy in the spring. It’s called Spring Fling. I know. Really hard to remember for the dance that happens in the spring.” Steve knew Loki was teasing him and he would have normally laughed, but right now he had a goal.

 

“Well, I was wondering… if you wanted.. to… go… to… it,” Steve’s voice couldn’t seem to choose an octave as it wavered up and down as he found the words haltingly. He was certain he might actually disintegrate from the heat his own embarrassment was generating. “With me,” he added for clarification, since Loki was staring at him with his mouth agape. “As a date. Go to the dance as my date. Do you want to, I mean?”

 

Loki was still staring. “You’re asking me to the dance?”

 

“You can say no! We’ll just pretend it never happened if you don’t want to. I don’t want things to be awkward or anything. And it would be okay if you didn’t want to. I mean, it would be even more okay if you did. It’d be pretty wonderful if you did because I’ve kind of liked you for a while now and can you please say something because I’m about to really mess this up.” Steve forced himself to stop talking and swallow. He offered Loki a sheepish smile, and was met with Loki’s still-confused look.

 

“…okay.”

 

Steve perked up, his heart pounding with excitement now. “Okay? You mean you want to go with me as my date?”

 

“Yes, Steve, that’s what I’m saying,” Loki seemed exasperated, but his lost expression had dissolved.

 

“Wow,” Steve laughed, grinning from ear to ear. “Can I just?” He leaned forward slightly and Loki flinched at the gesture, but didn’t move away. Steve quickly kissed his cheek and backed away. Loki’s brows came together in confusion once again, but he didn’t seem at all upset by the action. “I’ll see you Monday?” Steve asked, though he felt giddy inside. Loki nodded noncommittally as Steve started walking backwards now, out of the parking lot.

 

“Steve,” Loki finally called out when Steve was two rows over from Loki’s car, “Didn’t Pepper drop you off this morning?” He indicated his own car. “How are you going to get home?”

 

Steve stretched, trying to look casual, although he still couldn’t manage to wipe the grin off his face completely. “I kinda feel like walking today,” he responded with a shrug. He didn’t know if he could sit in the car with Loki for fifteen minutes. Not with his excitement bubbling like it was.

 

Loki shook his head, looking bemused, as Steve rounded the corner of the school and out of sight.

 

“Yeah, you’re not doing that,” Tony was waiting by his car on the other side of the building. “Come on, lover boy. I’ll treat you to some shawarma.”

 

“What’s shawarma?”

 

“No idea.”


	9. There's a 30% Chance It's Raining

Steve spent the remainder of the weekend trying to resist texting Loki every possible moment. Of course, he was busy on Saturday, both with the detention and finishing up the cleaning in his grandmother’s house, so his hands were otherwise occupied for a good amount of the time. He tried to stick to texting just as much as he usually did. He didn’t want to come off as too eager or intense, but he also didn’t want Loki to think he regretted his actions. As soon as he got home on Saturday, he put his phone on the counter and made himself a deal that he could not text Loki until he’d thoroughly cleaned the living room.

 

When no trace of the party remained in the living room (unfortunately, the same could not be said for the rest of the house), Steve made himself a celebratory sandwich and rewarded himself with a text to Loki that he’d over thought for an hour and a half.

_How are you?_ He sent, feeling butterflies in his stomach.

_It took you two hours to come up with that?_

 

Steve laughed aloud at Loki’s text. Perhaps he knew him a bit too well.

_I was cleaning my house,_ he explained instead. And he’d had the benefit of trying to think up the best way to approach someone you’d just asked to the dance.

_Partiers are so inconsiderate._ Steve read the text in a sarcastic tone, which was probably how it was intended.

_Want some company?_ Steve stared at the second text in shock until he realized this one was from Natasha. He smiled to himself.

_As long as it’s not the partying type,_ he replied.

_No. It’s of the Russian redhead/cranky Scandinavian variety._

 

Loki was with her? Steve felt his heart beat a little fast, but he responded quickly. _My favorite variety._

 

Steve took a large bite of his sandwich and decided more of his house could be cleaned before they came over. His next step was the entry and the stairs, so at least it wouldn’t make such a bad impression when they came in.

 

When they arrived a half an hour later, Steve had moved onto the kitchen. He hopped over the trash bag in the middle of the floor and sprinted to the door when he heard a car pull up. He had the door open before they were even able to ring the doorbell.

 

“That was fast,” Natasha smirked at him as she passed through the threshold. Loki was just behind her. He met Steve’s smile with one of his own, but his eyes flickered nervously.

 

“Can I get you anything?” He asked as he shut the door behind them.

 

“I’m fine,” Natasha said and they followed him to the kitchen. She relaxed back into a stool near the counter. Loki leaned against a wall while Steve went back to scrubbing the cabinets. “Wow. So much sexual tension I can barely stand it,” Natasha deadpanned, looking between them. Steve flushed as he stared at his sponge. “I gotta say, took you boys a while.”

 

“Well, I mean, I wasn’t sure-“ Steve began sheepishly, but was quickly cut off by Natasha.

 

“You don’t need to explain, Steve,” Natasha must have known he wouldn’t be able to. “Just wish you two would have gotten to it sooner. Could have taken you on some double dates.”

 

Loki looked horrified. Judging by the smug expression on Natasha’s face, that was the exact result she’d been hoping for.

 

“Am I being a cockblock here? Because I can leave,” she offered. Steve laughed as he threw the sponge into the sink.

 

“No. I have to get this place clean before my grandmother gets home.” He didn’t mean to imply that he and Loki would be doing anything other than cleaning the house if Natasha were gone, but his ears still went pink.

 

There was a pounding on his front door. “Steve Rogers!”

 

Loki’s eyes went wide.

 

“Is that…?” Natasha began, but Steve was already out of the kitchen.

 

He opened the door to find Thor almost filling the entire frame. “Hey, Thor. Can I help you?”

 

Thor pushed past him into the house, but turned back around to face him. He looked furious. “I hear you have asked my brother to the dance. Is this true?”

 

“Yes, it is,” Steve nodded, closing the door behind him.

 

“Did I not make it clear you were not to toy with him?” He demanded.

 

“I’m not toying with him, Thor,” he was going to be earnest in the face of Thor’s anger. He was just being protective. “I really do like Loki.”

 

“Your intentions are honest? How could you be interested in someone you do not know? Surely the simple meeting at Christmas-”

 

“It wasn’t just then. We’ve been… seeing each other. As friends. For a while now.”

 

Thor stared at him. Loki chose then to stroll in, smirking with his hands in his pockets. He leaned against the wall on the hallway and folded his arms over his chest. “Truly you are a good man, brother. But you needn’t worry. Steve deflowered me months ago.” Steve could easily identify his teasing tone, but Thor, it seemed, did not. Or, at least, his ability to do so disappeared when Loki said the right (or wrong, depending on your perspective) things.

 

He turned on Steve, his eyes widening in rage. His face was quickly turning red. “You-”

 

“He’s joking, Thor,” Natasha came to his rescue. “You know someone as virtuous as Steve would never do something so dishonorable,” her lips quirked into a smile as she looked at Steve.

 

Thor calmed immediately. At least he fell out of a rage as quickly as he got into it. “You’re right.”

 

“Hey,” Loki cut in, “Steve isn’t as virtuous as you think. He felt someone up in a movie theater once. He could do horrible things to me.”

 

Thor laughed and both Natasha and Steve glared at him. “Just what are you trying to accomplish, Loki?” she hissed. Could Loki stop antagonizing his brother for just one minute?

 

“Steve, I want to speak to you in private.”

 

Steve nodded at Thor’s demand, but hoped he understood that speaking in private would mean both Loki and Natasha would be eavesdropping. But Thor, instead, opened the door and walked with Steve out to his car. Steve got into the passenger seat.

 

“Steve,” Thor began as he backed out of the driveway, “my brother has a somewhat… mottled past. And I trust you are not just another trying to take advantage of him. I haven’t spoken to Fandral since he and Loki… I know he’s old enough to make his own decisions, but he doesn’t always make good ones- ” Thor’s knuckles turned white as he gripped the steering wheel and Steve felt the car speed up. He gripped the car door subtly for purchase. “If you use my brother-”

 

“Thor, I am not going to use your brother,” Steve stopped him before he could get anymore worked up. “And I don’t care if his past is… not perfect. Honestly, I don’t believe half of the stuff he says he’s done. And even if he did do all those things… I like your brother, Thor. I won’t mistreat him.”

 

“You’re a good man, Steve.”

 

“I do my best,” he offered modestly.

 

***

 

Although Thor arriving at Steve’s house was just short of mortifying and the fact that he’d been stuck all morning in detention with Tony Stark, Loki had to say that Saturday was probably the best day he’d had in a while. In a long time. He ignored Thor’s attempts to talk to him after he returned home. He really didn’t feel like listening to him. He would just want to know the full details of his relationship with Steve. And Loki didn’t feel like recounting for Thor at the moment. Or for anyone. Ever.

 

Monday morning, Steve found Loki by his locker. The sudden, bashful act that came along after asking Loki out was both endearing and annoying. And it really was messing with Loki’s head. He’d never dealt with someone being both eager and shy to interact with him. Certainly no one he’d dated blushed when asking what he was doing after school.

 

“Can’t wait to get into my pants until Spring Fling, Steve?” Loki smirked, leaning against his locker. He was hoping Steve would turn even redder and stammer, but he slid easily into their rapport instead.

 

“I don’t know,” he mimicked Loki’s posture and made a falsely thoughtful expression, “I don’t think there’s a lot of room in there for me,” Steve joked, eyes raking over Loki’s tight pants in a way that made _him_ flush.

 

“You-” Oh shit. Loki didn’t have a comeback immediately on hand for that one.

 

“I’ve got to go,” Steve said as the warning bell rang, clearly hiding a smug grin. He fidgeted for a moment before settling on simply hugging Loki before he left.

 

Feeling even more dissatisfied than he had with Steve’s cheek kiss on Saturday, Loki slammed his locker shut. He would just have to initiate it next time he saw an opportunity. He wasn’t sure how many hugs and closed-mouth kisses he could stand before losing his mind. How could Steve make jokes about getting into his pants and then be too flustered to even kiss him?

 

But they weren’t dating, Loki had to remind himself. He’d just been asked to the dance. There was no use getting his hopes up. He’d done that one too many times. But Steve seemed to think of it as something more… and maybe a little hope couldn’t hurt.

 

At lunch, Steve walked with him and Natasha through the lunch line, even though he packed his own food. Natasha was smiling to herself the whole time.

 

“Are we going to hang out at your house this weekend, Natasha?” Steve asked as they headed towards their usual table - well, Natasha and Loki’s usual table. But Steve didn’t really have to sit with the Avengers anymore, did he?

 

“My parents are out of town Saturday. That is, if you two wouldn’t rather spend it alone.”

 

“Nah, we’ve got plenty of time to fool around on Friday,” Loki shrugged flippantly. Steve went a little red around the ears, but he affected the same casual expression Loki had.

 

“Hey!”

 

“And between classes,” Steve added, not even registering someone else had talked to them.

 

“Hey, Apple Pie!” Tony was gesturing for him to come over.

 

“Tony,” Steve smiled at him politely. “I’m going to sit with Natasha and Loki today.”

 

“The Snow Queen and Hot Pants can sit with us, too.”

 

Loki and Natasha exchanged glances, both looking at each other’s pants as to determine who was who. God help Tony if Loki was the Snow Queen.

 

Steve turned to them for their approval.

 

Natasha moved to sit right beside Pepper.  “Going to be a bit cramped at the table,” she commented, but Tony shrugged.

 

“We can get to know each other better.”

 

Steve sat down so that there was an empty seat for Loki between him and Natasha. Loki remained standing for another ten seconds, tapping his tray, before finally caving to pressure. Steve just looked so damned expectant and hopeful for some uneasy truce to form between his two groups of friends. Had this happened at any other time, Loki would have turned on his heel and left. But now that he had an additional claim on Steve, he didn’t feel nearly so jealous amongst his other friends.

 

The table was meant for five or six people - seven was not impossible, but it was definitely tight. Loki’s shoulders were pressed between Natasha’s and Steve’s, with little mobility for his food, which was all right with him. It looked disgusting anyways.

 

Tony was talking with Pepper about something Loki honestly didn’t care about. However, he did care slightly that Steve was listening with polite interest. So, Loki moved his hand from his own lap to slid along Steve’s thigh. Steve jumped so violently that he smacked his knee against the underside of the table.

 

Everyone stopped to stare - Pepper, Thor, and Bruce all looked honestly concerned. But Tony and Natasha not so much. “You okay there, Steve?” Tony asked with a smirk.

 

“Yeah,” Steve nodded quickly, “just got a chill. That’s all.”

 

Loki wasn’t reprimanded for the action, so he moved his hand up. Steve didn’t tell him to stop, but he took Loki’s hand in his and threaded their fingers together. Steve was just not going to let him have any fun. At least not in the cafeteria in the middle of the day.

 

Mondays were easily the worst day of the week. Not simply because it was the start of the week, but because aside from homeroom, Loki only shared one class with Natasha and none with Steve. So, he didn’t see Steve again until after the final bell rang.

 

After a brief stop by his own locker, he went to find Steve. After all, didn’t they have plans for their free time now?

 

Loki felt his stomach curl in disgust when he saw that Amora was at her locker as well. Why did it have to be right beside Steve’s? But Steve was pointedly ignoring her, staring into his locker and picking out his textbooks. Amora spotted Loki before Steve. Anger flashed into her eyes as she closed her locker. She must have said something to Steve because he turned to look at her and she threw herself on him, lips crashing against Steve’s.

 

She had just signed her death warrant as far as Loki was concerned.

 

In shock, Steve pulled away from her quickly, the gesture a bit rougher than Steve normally got with women. Or most people.

 

“What are you doing?!” Steve gasped and then caught her look towards Loki. “Loki! It’s not-”

 

“Oh, I know,” Loki’s voice turned to ice as lunged at her, but Steve caught him quickly.

 

“Loki, don’t!” Loki turned to look at Steve sharply. “If you do it, you’ll get in trouble.”

 

“It’d be worth it,” he turned to glare at Amora. “What did you think that would accomplish? You can’t possibly think I would have believed that little display! You thought… what? I’d think Steve was cheating on me? Or maybe I would be mad enough to attack you and then get expelled?” That had almost happened, admittedly, but Amora looked far too smug for someone whose plan might have just been ruined.

 

“Let’s go,” Steve put his hand on Loki’s back and steadfastly ignored Amora as he led him away. “You can’t let her get to you, Loki.”

 

Loki clenched his fists, trying to fight down the disgust that was crawling its way up his throat. “I’m going to kill her.”

 

“Loki, it’s fine. Forget about it,” Steve tried to placate him. “Don’t let her get a rise out of you.”

 

Now that they were out on the lawn in front of the school and out of Amora’s reach, Loki stopped walking and turned to him. “And you just want me to let her get away with that?”

 

“It’s fine,” Steve repeated earnestly. “I’m fine. She didn’t hurt me or anything. And whatever she was hoping to accomplish, she didn’t.”

 

“I hate her. I am going to find some way to make her suffer for kissing my boyfriend.”

 

“Your boyfriend?” Steve’s eyebrows shot up, and they stared at each other for a long moment, neither sure how to respond. But Loki wasn’t going to back down now.

 

Loki took a step forward and Steve leaned in, but the moment was broken suddenly when someone bumped into Steve and caused him to stumble at bit. He smiled at Loki when he regained his footing and Loki stared after the freshman to commit her face to memory. She would have to go as well.

 

“Oh! I have to go! I need to catch the bus! Bye, Loki!” Steve waved with a grin and Loki slumped slightly. Steve ran off before Loki could offer a ride home, but it would have been pointless anyways, since he’d ridden with Thor that morning.

 

“Wow. I’m actually feeling bad for you right now,” Clint Barton said, appearing out of nowhere with Natasha. “And I don’t like you that much.”

 

“No one asked you,” Loki scowled.

 

“You’re not leaving it there, are you?”

 

“Don’t have any other options this evening.”

 

“Loki,” Natasha rested her hand on his shoulder, looking towards the buses, “You are one of the most resourceful people I know. I think you can manage something.”

 

“Maybe you should go over to his house tonight,” Clint suggested.

 

“He lives with his grandmother, Barton,” Loki hissed, but Clint just shrugged, smiling a bit.

 

“So? She’s old. She’s probably hard of hearing.”

 

“Steve will say yes if you ask,” Natasha said. “Just lock the door and make sure you don’t get cockblocked for a third time.”


	10. A Downward Spiral

Steve couldn’t believe Loki had asked to come over that evening. Loki had never asked to come over. Ever.

 

Loki had arrived after he had already eaten dinner, wearing a pair of dangerously tight pants and a shirt with too many buttons undone. The pair went to watch a movie in the living room at Steve’s grandmother’s suggestion. Thankfully, she made herself scarce or she might have noticed that Loki was eyeing Steve like a prime cut of steak.

 

It was only when his grandmother went to the kitchen that he and Loki even exchanged more than a few words. Steve turned to Loki and asked, “Want to sit outside for a bit?”

 

Loki breathed a sigh of relief. “Yes. This movie is terrible.”

 

Steve grinned, but got to his feet. “Come on, it’s not that bad.”

 

“Steve, all your grandmother has is period dramas and Nicholas Sparks movies,” his voice was quiet enough that his grandmother would not hear it in the other room.

 

They stepped out onto the dark porch, as it was well past sunset. However, it was pleasantly warm with a steady, chilly breeze. Steve flicked the light on and pushed the sliding door shut. Moths and other bugs flocked to the dim lamp that cast them into sharp shadow.

 

“I can’t believe you don’t like touching stories about…” Steve searched for the plot of the movie in his mind. In all honesty… Steve had been too busy trying to inconspicuously hold a pillow in his lap and think of anything but how Loki was looking at him or how tight those pants were. It didn’t help that Loki sat right across from him with his legs spread with the confidence of someone sitting on a throne.

 

“Were you even watching?” Loki accused.

 

“I was a little distracted,” Steve protested. Seeing the amusement shining clearly in Loki’s eyes, he turned it around on him as Loki sat down on the outdoor lounge chair. “Fine. What was it about, then?”

 

“Um…”

 

Steve couldn’t help but laugh. At least Loki had been as distracted as he had. He dropped onto the chair, beside Loki.

 

His laughter slowly died and Steve was just left with a small grin as he locked eyes with Loki. His breathing slowed and caught in his throat as Loki’s smirk faded from his lips. Their thighs were pressed against each other and Loki’s breath hitched minutely as Steve put his hand on his knee.

 

Loki’s tongue brushed his own lips briefly and Steve moved to close the space between them. His other hand slid against Loki’s jaw and tangled in Loki’s hair. Loki’s eyes were half-lidded as his eyes watched Steve’s lips and Steve felt his pulse racing under his fingers. Loki moved his hand up to cover the hand that Steve had against his neck and in his hair, intertwining their fingers.

 

With his heart pounding in his chest and head, feeling nervous and excited at once, and not going to allow for another interruption, Steve kissed him.

 

Loki’s lips were smooth, wet, and slightly chapped, but Steve pressed closer, pushing the barely brushing of their lips towards intimacy. His nose brushed against Loki’s cheek and Loki’s lips parted slightly to capture Steve’s. Their bodies pressed together seemed to warm up the air around them and Steve breathed in deeply through his nose as Loki drew Steve’s lower lip between his. Loki smelled subtly of warm leather and overpriced cologne that reminded him of winter.

 

Suddenly, Loki chuckled into Steve’s mouth. Steve felt his stomach drop. What had he done wrong? It had been a while since he’d kissed, but he couldn’t fathom what would make Loki laugh. He furrowed his brow and backed off just enough that there was a hair’s width between their noses. “What?”

 

“You brushed your teeth.”

 

Steve furrowed his brow. “What?”

 

“I’ll have to be more unpredictable.”  

 

Loki quickly reinitiated the contact, going after Steve in earnest now. Loki was on top of him, hand against Steve’s jaw as he drew him in for a deeper kiss.  Steve slid his hand to brush against Loki’s side and dig his fingers into his shirt. Loki’s tongue grazed against Steve’s lips and he let his jaw drop.

 

Loki pushed Steve down and crawled over him, his other hand gripping Steve’s thigh tightly. Steve gasped, but Loki just took the opportunity to shove his tongue in Steve’s mouth. He was taken aback by the sudden action, but pulled Loki closer. Some small voice at the back of his mind was screaming that he was in full view on the porch with Loki straddling his thighs.

 

He probably should have listened to that voice. He only had a split second from the time he heard “Steve?” coming from inside before the sliding glass door opened. Somehow, Loki ended up on the ground, looking both shocked and livid. Steve ended up sitting forward with his arms pressed over his lap.

 

Steve’s grandmother was peering at them curiously from the threshold. “What are you boys doing out here?”

 

“Roughhousing,” Steve blurted before he thought of anything better. Loki turned his head slowly and gave Steve a look that said: “you’ve got to be fucking kidding me.” Steve smiled apologetically, but his grandmother didn’t catch their private conversation.

 

“You should come in, it’s getting late, and we don’t want Loki getting hurt. What would his parents say?”

 

His grandmother shuffled back inside and Loki muttered under his breath, “it’s not me you should be worried about.”

 

Although keeping their hands off each other was difficult, it proved to be less so now that they had been embarrassed by being nearly caught by Steve’s grandmother.

Steve gathered his blankets to sleep on the floor, though Loki watched him with skepticism from the bed. “You’re really going to sleep down there.”

 

“I think I have to,” Steve chuckled. “If we’re too close and we get caught up and my grandmother hears us…”

 

“Oh, Steve,” Loki smirked dangerously, his voice turning silky, “I can be very quiet when I want.”

 

 

***

 

“We’re not watching Aladdin this weekend, Steve,” Loki slammed the car door as they walked up to the school.

 

“Why not? I haven’t seen it!” Steve protested.  

 

“I haven’t either, but it doesn’t mean I have any desire to see it. It’s not your turn to pick the movie. It’s Natasha’s. And thank god for that.”

 

Steve groaned. “Right. I’d forgotten.”

 

“Steve!” Someone called out to him as they were crossing the lawn to the front entrance. Steve and Loki turned in unison as Bruce jogged over to them.

 

“Wow. That was…” Bruce blinked at the shared motion.

 

“I’ll see you later, Steve,” Loki said in a low voice, but Bruce held up his hand.

 

“Loki, wait,” he bent over slightly, catching his breath, as he stopped in front of them. “You should know, too. Thor is really, _really_ mad right now. And he’s looking for you, Steve.”

 

“Mad?” Steve was baffled. “Mad at me? Why?”

 

Loki scoffed. “If this is some of his older brother bravado, I’m having none of it.”

 

“It’s okay, Loki. I’ll talk to him. I’m sure we’ll sort out whatever’s wrong,” Steve smiled. “Where is he?” He directed this question to Bruce, who pointed over Steve’s shoulder. Thor was striding towards him with purpose, his back straight and his fists clenched. Bruce was right. He definitely did not seem happy.

 

“What has he got himself worked up over now?” Loki just seemed exasperated. Steve wasn’t sure what he could have done to anger his friend. Perhaps he had found out about Steve originally pretending to be his friend? Did he know about the night before? “I’ll talk to him.”

 

“No, you might not even be involved,” Steve shook his head and walked forward quickly, to head Loki off. “Thor-“ he began, but as soon as Steve was in range, Thor punched him so hard Steve’s vision momentarily went black. He was surprised to find himself still standing when his eyesight returned, but Thor grabbed is shirt. “You don’t date my brother and then kiss another. You told me you wouldn’t use him! Do you know how happy he was to be with you?!”

 

“If you say another word, you will not live to see tonight, brother,” Loki’s tone was deadly. It made Steve’s heart pound nervously – he sounded completely serious.

 

“Thor-“ Steve interjected, trying to break the intense gaze between the two brothers. There may have been a serious altercation if it were allowed. “What are you talking about?”

 

“I got a picture on my phone of you kissing Amora.”

 

“I didn’t want to kiss her, Thor. I promise,” Steve held up his hands, trying to calm him down.

 

“Amora jumped him to upset me, Thor. I saw the whole thing,” Loki pulled Steve from Thor’s grip. Thor’s shoulders slackened slightly.

 

“Is this true?” He asked Steve.

 

“Of course it is,” Loki hissed.

 

“Then, please accept my apology, Steve. I’m sorry. Would you like me to take you to the nurse?” Thor was completely sincere, despite his outburst before. Now he was looking over Steve for injuries.

 

“No, no,” Steve waved him off, even though his head was throbbing. “I’m fine. I’ll just take an aspirin. At least you didn’t break my nose.”

 

“It’s not fine,” Loki scowled. “I’m tired of you interfering in my life, Thor. If Steve is a filthy cheating liar, I’ll deal with it. Not you.”

 

“I’m just trying to look out for you!”

 

“What makes you think I can’t look out for myself!?”

 

“Whoa, fellas,” Bruce held up his hands, wedging himself between them. “Let’s not get into this here, all right?” He glanced pointedly at the crowd that had begun to gather on the lawn. “You just… deal with this stuff at home, okay?”

 

Thor was the first to back down. “You’re right,” he said heavily. Steve put his hand on Loki’s arm to calm him as well.

“Let’s go,” he suggested. Loki turned and went with him, even though he was still glaring.

 

Steve wanted to say something as they walked into the school, but he wasn’t sure what to say that would help Loki calm down. To be fair, Steve should be the one that was mad at Thor, but he understood Thor was just being protective. But, he understood how Loki felt, too.

 

Thankfully, Steve was rescued from having to think up something to say.

 

“ _Do what you want but you ain’t gonna own me. Do anything you can to control me-”_

 

Loki grabbed his phone from his pocket while Steve suppressed an amused smile. Steve saw Natasha’s picture on Loki’s screen before he answered it. “Yeah. He’s fine. It’s all sorted now. Why didn’t you just text? Fine. Fine. I’ll see you in class. Bye.”

 

“How do I get one of those pictures to show up on my phone?” Steve asked, curbing the topic of conversation to something completely different.

 

“Go to your camera,” Loki pointed over his shoulder as Steve showed him his phone.

 

Steve pressed on it and then held it up, facing Loki.

 

“No, don’t take a picture of me,” Loki put his hand up.

 

“Aw, come on,” Steve smiled, pleading. “If I’m going to have a picture of anyone on my phone it should be you.”

 

“You know I’m not going to help you if you take that picture.”

 

“It’s a price I’m willing to pay,” Steve smiled and held up his phone.

 

***

 

After homeroom, Steve was dismissed to the nurse’s office - his face hurting significantly more now. So, Loki had to go to art class alone. Which was unfortunate. One of his favorite parts of the day was art with Steve.

 

He sighed heavily and sat in a seat between Barton and another senior named Xavier. He scowled to himself when Amora walked in. Why couldn’t she take a different elective? Like Advanced Heinous Bitchery.

 

“Mr. Logan,” Amora raised her hand. “Before we start class, I want to ask if I can pass this petition around to the students.”

 

He waved her over and she pulled a clipboard out of her bag. “What’s it for?” He asked as she handed it to him.

 

She looked at Loki pointedly before beginning. Oh, this would be good. “It’s a petition against letting same sex couples attend Spring Fling.”

 

“What?” Logan raised an eyebrow at her, clearly not pleased.

 

“Some people,” a meaningful glance in Loki’s direction again, “at school want to ruin the sanctity of Spring Fling and I just want to give the students a chance to fight back.”

 

“The sanctity of Spring Fling?” Clint mouthed to Loki, dumbfounded. Loki ignored him.

 

“Yes, someone should definitely stop overzealous bitches from attending,”

 

“Go screw yourself, you flaming homo.”

 

“At least I’m getting screwed, you cunt.”

 

The whole class made noises of disbelief intermingled with delight and Logan frowned. “I’ve heard enough. Both of you to Principal Fury. Now. And get rid of that petition, Amora. I don’t want to see it again.”

 

Amora hurried ahead of Loki so that they didn’t have to walk beside each other down the empty corridor, both holding the slips of paper Logan had given them explaining the problem.

 

Loki raised an eyebrow and looked around. There was no one around. And he was already getting in trouble… “Got a nice call from Planned Parenthood, Amora?” He called out to her and she stopped in her tracks, whirling around on him.

 

“You-“ Her face turned red and she stormed over to him, but he kept strolling along casually. “My parents think I’m some sort of slut now! I was grounded from everything for an entire year! They almost didn’t let me go to Spring Fling!”

 

“Wouldn’t that be tragic?” He smirked, his tone light as he opened the door to the principal’s office. He did hope the irony was not lost on her.

 

“Go to hell, Loki.”

 

“Only if you won’t be there.”

 

“Just wait, Loki. Just wait.”

 

“I’m shaking in my boots.”

 

They were taken immediately in to see Principal Fury, who sighed heavily. “I’m getting tired of seeing you in my office, Mr. Laufeyson,” he tapped on his desk once. “You’ve been in here too many times this semester. I’ll have to call your father.”

 

Panic rushed into Loki’s stomach and crept into his throat. He felt like he was going to be sick. Of course, to anyone, he would tell him he didn’t care what Odin thought. But, in reality, what Odin thought meant quite a bit. Even more so, he was concerned about disappointing Frigga.

 

He briefly thought about begging Fury not to, but thought better of it. He fought to put his expression back to nonchalance, but Amora was staring at him, a smirk slowly sliding onto her face. Had she noticed?

 

“As for you, Miss Incantare, detention tonight as well. And I don’t want to hear anymore about this little petition of yours.”


	11. Spring Fling

“We will be leaving at the end of the school year.”

 

“What?” Loki’s eyes narrowed at Odin’s proclamation. Loki should have expected something was amiss when Odin summoned him to his study. Actually, he had. But not something quite so ground-shaking. He’d expected to be reprimanded for poor grades or getting in trouble, like he always was. Not that Odin ever did anything but yell at him for it.

 

But this? Standing in the opulently decorated room with books his father had never even touched lining the walls - what was the purpose of owning books you didn’t read? - while his father spoke with a calm certainty that was not his usual tactic. His mother stood over Odin’s shoulder, looking deeply concerned and as if she wanted to speak, but would not permit herself to do so.

 

“Thor will be taking the throne once he graduates. We will be returning home.”

 

“Thor will-” Loki spat, but quelled his anger. No, he would not get upset over this. He knew this time was coming. He hadn’t known it would be so soon. “You and Thor are returning home?”

 

“All of us.”

 

“So… mother, too?” Loki was suddenly, illogically grasping at straws as his breath caught in his throat. Odin couldn’t possibly mean… Loki still had one year of schooling! He couldn’t move back… sure, he had plenty of difficulties, but things were the best they’d ever been in his life. He had an uneasy alliance with the Avengers and Thor’s friends and he was dating one of his two best friends.

 

“And you,” Odin’s one-eyed gaze was long-suffering.

 

“I don’t see why I need to be there for Thor to rule. The rest of you may return, but I will remain here and complete my schooling.”

 

“And certainly schooling is what you’re most concerned about.” Something about Odin’s tone made Loki’s stomach turn to ice. He knew something that Loki didn’t. There was another reason behind their sudden departure - it had nothing to do with Thor ascending to the throne.

 

Loki gritted his teeth. “What else would I be concerned about?”

 

“It has come to my attention that you’re seeing a young man at school.”

 

“Oh. So that’s what this is about?” Loki’s voice dropped to an accusatory whisper, fingers clenching the back of the wooden chair across from his father’s desk, nails scratching the glossy finish. “This isn’t about Thor or the throne,” he hissed, moving to the desk and leaning forward over it. “This is about me being gay.” _Technically,_ Loki would be under the bisexual label, but somehow saying “bisexual” didn’t have the same effect. Besides, if Odin was so concerned about Loki being attracted to men, gay would piss him off more than bisexual. “Are both of your eyes blind? You just noticed now?”

 

Odin, to his credit, remained calm, regarding Loki with a stoic expression that revealed little, as opposed to his adopted son across from him, whose body language and facial features were practically dripping with anger and hatred for the man across from him, though his eyes may have shown a brief flicker of hurt. “Your sexuality is of no surprise to me. Frigga and I have known for many years.”

 

“We don’t care whether you share your company with men or women,” Frigga finally managed to add, seeing the concern and fear that had shown briefly over Loki’s expression - a less practiced person would have missed it.

 

Loki stared at them in confusion and disbelief, anger slowly melting away as he tried to piece together another reasoning behind their actions. “If it’s not my choice of gender that bothers you, then what is it?”

 

Odin stood up, his demeanor all business - Loki half expected him to start giving him stock market updates or informing him about the rates of income tax. “Steve Rogers is a young man from a working class family with no name or title to speak of. He has no money and very little in prospects.”

 

“What does that-”

 

“He is beneath your station,” Odin stated matter-of-factly before Loki could even sputter out a question.

 

“Loki,” Frigga intervened, her voice soft and full of worry, “we’re concerned about your future. Without royal blood, you have no claims to our title or our inheritance once we’re gone. We would draw up legal documentation, of course, but there’s a chance it might not hold up. This is what’s best for you. You need someone with a title, with money to provide for you and uphold your station.”

 

“Are you kidding me with this old world bullshit?” Loki snapped. He wanted to shout that he didn’t care about the money or his title. But even in his mind it sounded like some sappy romance movie climax. He wanted his money and his title. But he also wanted Steve. And he would not let someone tell him he couldn’t have it all.

 

But what was most terrifying was how seriously his parents treated a high school boyfriend. And how seriously Loki was treating it. More than likely, in a few years, he’d have moved on from Steve. Though he didn’t much like that idea… The statistics weren’t in his favor. And Loki’s own personality never worked in his favor, either. He always managed to screw up good things.

 

“Loki, you’re accustomed to a certain type of lifestyle,” Frigga pointed out, but Loki focused his glare on Odin.

 

“Why do you suddenly care so much? Where was all this concern for me before?” Loki stood with his back straight. “I’m staying.” His voice held a tone that challenged Odin to stop him.

 

“STOP BEING A PETULANT CHILD!” Odin roared suddenly, though Frigga and Loki were so used to these temper flares that neither of them flinched. “YOU WILL NEVER SEE THAT BOY AGAIN!”

 

Loki put on his best smug face, knowing it would make Odin even angrier, but said nothing as he nodded his acquiescence and made a show of bowing with a flourish before exiting the room. He knew his mother would be doing the best to calm Odin. And he would be able to walk out the front door.

 

***

 

“So you’re telling me you’ve never seen Aladdin?” Natasha raised an eyebrow at him.

 

“No,” Steve shook his head.

 

“Wow. What did you spend your childhood doing?” She asked rhetorically and shook her head. “Well, I’m picking Aladdin for my movie night. And Loki can’t argue because he’s late.”

 

They were seated on Natasha’s couch, like they were nearly every weekend. Natasha was curled up, holding her legs to her chest as she ate from a tray of potato wedges. Steve smiled, biting back his worry. After all, Loki was sometimes rather late. It wasn’t unusual that he wasn’t there. But still, after the fiasco with Thor earlier in the day and Loki going to Principal Fury’s office… maybe he got in trouble. Or he was upset and wasn’t going to come over.

 

“I’m sure he’s fine,” Natasha responded without him saying a word.

 

“I know,” Steve shrugged and pulled out his phone from his pocket. “Smile,” he said and held up his phone. Natasha smiled easily and Steve took a picture. He hadn’t even needed Loki to tell him how to set pictures to his contacts in the end. He’d figured it out on the bus home.

 

“So, have you bought your suit for Spring Fling yet?” Natasha asked casually, stretching out now, legs taking up half the couch.

 

“I already had one. I’m guessing you have a dress,” Steve ventured and she rose an eyebrow.

 

“Three guesses as to what color.”

 

“Okay, my first guess is black. My second guess is black. And my third guess…” Steve made sure to look appropriately thoughtful. “Black?”

 

Natasha smiled mysteriously, but she didn’t answer.

 

Loki finally joined them just after they’d started the movie. He greeted them as normal - that is, not at all - but Steve couldn’t help but feel something was wrong. Loki looked the same as he always did, he scrunched himself in between them as he always did, he looked at the movie with disdain as he always did. So why was Steve getting the sense that something was quite wrong?

 

Loki held up his phone and moved unnervingly close to Steve. “Loki… what are you doing?” Steve asked reproachfully.

 

“Nothing,” Loki responded in his innocent tone that meant he was doing anything but. “Just sending a picture to my dad.”

 

“Why?”

 

“He wanted to see you.”

 

“Oh.” Steve wasn’t an idiot – he knew that was definitely not the reason behind Loki’s actions, but he also knew better than to try to pry the real information from Loki. So, he did the best thing he could and went along with it. It didn’t seem dangerous, so he thought it was best.  Natasha was looking at Loki, as well, trying to read his intentions.  If she came to any conclusions, however, she kept them to herself.

 

***

 

Steve’s grandmother was sitting at her piano when Steve returned from Natasha’s. He greeted her with a smile and was set on racing up the stairs, but she stopped playing abruptly. “Steve,” she said and he paused at the foot of the staircase. He reversed quickly.

 

“Yes?”

 

“Your friend’s father called me,” she turned back to her piano, looking at the music sheets sitting in front of her. Steve’s stomach clenched in dread. That didn’t sound good. Had he done something wrong?

 

“Which friend?”

 

“That nice boy who visited us a few times. Loki.”

 

“Oh?” Steve kept his voice steady, but that was exactly the answer he’d been hoping he wouldn’t hear.

 

“He doesn’t want you to see Loki anymore and I’m supposed to make sure it doesn’t happen.”

 

His grandmother’s voice was light, but Steve jumped to defend himself. “I’m not sure where he got that idea-”

 

“Don’t insult my intelligence, Steven,” she gave him a stern look before turning back to her music. “Roughhousing,” she tutted. Steve was certain his blush now covered his entire body.

 

“Grandma-” He started, but found he didn’t know how to finish the sentence.

 

“He wanted me to keep an eye on you to make sure the two of you don’t go to the school dance together. Far be it for me to go against a parent’s wishes for their child. But my vision is failing in my old age and I don’t know how well I’d be able to keep an eye on anyone.”

 

Steve grinned and hugged his grandmother tightly. “Thank you.”

 

She patted his arm and smiled up at him. “Now you go get your suit ready. You have a dance tomorrow.”

 

Loki appeared at Steve's doorstep the night of the Spring Fling, regardless of what might have been said to him or Steve's grandmother. And Steve was determined not to let it ruin his night. Was there a niggling feeling of guilt? Maybe. But a very small one. After all, he was within his right to date Loki. He couldn't understand why anyone would forbid them from seeing each other and Loki refused to tell him. He, of course, had told Loki what he now knew, but Loki had simply shrugged and remained tight-lipped about the whole thing. Was it homophobia? That was the most likely culprit. After all, Loki's father could be very traditional. He shouldn't judge Loki's father by Loki himself. Certainly tradition wasn't a thought that crossed Loki's mind often.

 

The evening of the Spring Fling was perfect. The sky was partially shrouded in clouds, but didn't cover the moon, so the light poured down onto Steve's front porch. There was a sharp breeze that blew through every so often, signaling that there might be an oncoming storm. But for now, he enjoyed looking up at the stars that were there, sitting on the rickety chair on the porch. His grandmother had insisted on putting a towel down so that he didn't dirty his nice suit. But Steve could care less about his clothes and more about the company. Loki arrived, though not as he was expecting. Instead of one of his family's numerous cars - which, he should have known would be out of the question, seeing as Loki was forbidden from going to Spring Fling - he was in a limo. In Steve's opinion, a rather tasteless limo for Loki. It was one of the kinds that looked like a stretched out hummer. However, his choice of vehicle was quickly explained when the door was opened and Steve realized there were other people in the car. Who in the world was Loki riding with?

 

Bewildered, Steve tried to peer inside as Loki stepped out, but he slammed the door quickly behind him. Steve jumped up, nearly breaking his grandmother's chair in the process. He couldn't fight the grin that slid onto his face as he looked at his date. Steve almost thought Loki's attire would be... something different. After all, outside of school, Loki tended to wear leather. Granted, the suit Loki wore wasn't something Steve was sure he would find in a respectable store. It was fitted and made his figure look very slim. His jacket was unbuttoned and he wore no vest. The inside of the coat, Steve noticed as the wind caught it, was lined with a green silk. Should have known Loki would manage to get his signature colors together in the suit. Steve grabbed him quickly and pulled him close, planting a deep kiss on his lips instantly. Loki seemed a bit surprised by the action, but they were interrupted before he could respond.

 

"Hey, loverboys, can we get this thing moving?"

 

Steve looked up to see Tony hanging out of the sun roof, holding a drink that Steve severely doubted was soda. He looked at Loki in surprise and confusion.

 

"Well, who else was I going to get a ride with?" Loki seemed a bit sullen, but not as upset as Steve imagined he would have been at the beginning of the year. Granted, Steve couldn't get Loki within fifty feet of Tony willingly at the beginning of the year, unless he was looking for bloodshed.

 

Steve followed Loki into the vehicle, but there were many more people besides Tony inside and, suddenly, the hummer made a lot more sense.

 

“Hey, Steve,” Pepper’s smile glowed from Tony’s other side, near the front of the vehicle. “How are you?”

 

“Good,” he answered with a smile in return. He climbed into the seat between Tony and Loki. Natasha was smirking at him from her seat across from him and beside Thor. All in all, the vehicle contained Tony, Pepper, Thor, Jane Foster, Natasha, Clint Barton, Bruce, and Loki.

 

Steve glanced at Bruce, since he was dateless. He didn’t broach the subject, but Bruce caught the look. “No big thing. Science is my lady,” he smiled.

 

Pepper rolled her eyes good-naturedly and turned to Steve. “His date is Betty from science club. She was on the decorations committee, so she’s meeting him there.”

 

“Oh! Great!” Steve added the last part to Bruce. He then turned to Natasha once more, taking note of her yellow dress. It was just her style - slim and strapless. But he’d been very wrong on the color. “No black.”

 

“No black,” Natasha confirmed with a smirk.

 

Loki snorted. “The first dress she picked was black, but she didn’t want to seem too predictable.” Natasha simply shrugged in response.

 

Tony, of course, offered Steve a cocktail, but he politely declined. "Come on, Steve, it's the Spring Fling!" Thor insisted, but Steve just smiled with a sheepish shrug. He had no inclination to get drunk tonight. His first dance with Loki? He wanted to keep his wits about him at all costs. No fumbling, no saying the wrong thing at the wrong time. It was a delicate balance with Loki.

 

The drive was a lot less uncomfortable than Steve expected. After all, a ride in a limo between former (and possibly current) enemies shouldn't go as smoothly as it did. Loki seemed a little sour, but then, when did he not? His grumpiness was tempered by Steve's presence - he noticed. Whenever he glanced at Loki, the other would manage a slightly less angered look that may have bordered on a smile. When Steve took Loki's hand, his expression definitely got close to a smile.

 

Spring Fling, when they arrived, was just starting to pick up. Steve knew the desolate first half hour of school dances wasn't worth the early arrival. So they'd already agreed on a later time. Many people were just coming out of their cars - a few others also in limos packed full of students. Steve hopped out first with Loki and offered his arm to him.

 

Loki raised a skeptical eyebrow. "You're kidding," he deadpanned, but threaded his arm with Steve's anyway, rolling his eyes as he did so. It was definitely awkward, but Steve enjoyed it. They walked up the front steps as pounding music poured out of the open doors. The halls were filled with streamers as they walked to the gym, blinking lights of different colors highlighting the main area of the party. Granted, there were people in the halls, some having stepped away from the music to have quiet conversations and others having stepped out for something much more.

 

Ms. Hill appeared out of the gym to send the couples making out away. "Back inside, guys. Come on," she waved them in and they broke up, disappointed. She smiled when she spotted Steve and he waved briefly at her. "Don't let me catch you and your date out here, Mr. Rogers," she said in a half warning, half joking tone.

 

"No, ma'am," Steve responded automatically.

 

"I know what Loki's like. Don't let him talk you into it," she said before she returned to the gym. Somehow, that was a huge relief. It wasn't until then that Steve realized he'd even been nervous - about being seen dating Loki, that is. He was definitely nervous about spending the evening at the dance with Loki - not saying the wrong thing, that sort of thing. But he'd heard plenty of stories about same sex couples getting kicked out of dances and some people in the school had already shown they weren't mature enough to handle it. But... Ms. Hill being okay with it just made the knot in his stomach uncoil. At least he'd have support from one faculty member. And he had several friends that were certainly powerful enough to make sure they weren't messed with. Steve knew well enough by now that no one messed with Thor's brother in front of him.

 

“Are you going to stare up at the streamers all night or are you going to dance?” Natasha said over his shoulder as he stared up at the decorations on the ceiling. Steve looked at Loki expectantly, but he balked.

 

“Nothing in the terms said I was required to dance.”

 

“Oh, and they call it a dance because people like to stand around?” Clint asked innocently and Loki scowled. Thankfully, Clint and Natasha took their leave and headed onto the dance floor.

 

“He’s got a point,” Steve ventured slowly. “I mean, I wouldn’t mind… dancing.”

 

“I’m going to go get some snacks,” Loki frowned, excusing himself, his eyes darting around the room as he walked away. That was when Steve noticed half of the eyes of the room watching them. With all the attention, what should he expect from Loki? His reactions were always torn between shying away from attention or seeking it out. Steve had to begin to understand how Loki would react. At the two parties he went to, when confronted with the signs from students at school, and when Natasha first suggested they dance at Homecoming, Loki balked, withdrawing immediately. But, when Loki was in control, he could destroy the entire school with rumors and accusations, tear down Amora with a single insult, and, overall, act like he was the person who ruled the entire school.

 

But Loki didn’t feel in control here. Not at the moment. How to fix that?

 

“Steve,” Thor appeared at his side now, Jane absent. “I heard what my father has told Loki.”

 

“You have?” Steve turned to him in interest. “I wish someone would tell me.”

 

“Loki isn’t saying anything, of course,” Thor confirmed, glancing at this brother across the room. “Our fatherhas forbidden Loki from seeing you. He thinks you’re ‘beneath his station.’”

 

“Beneath his station,” Steve repeated, disbelieving. Well, he hadn’t been expecting that. It made sense, if Thor and Loki were actually some sort of Scandinavian royalty. It was hard to remember that when he was around them. Neither of the brothers acted how Steve imagined princes to act. Or whatever royalty they were. Counts? “How did he even find out?”

“Amora contacted him,” Steve turned his head immediately to look for her. “Don’t tell Loki. He doesn’t know. I think you want their petty feud to end as much as I do,” Thor continued and Steve nodded in agreement. “I think Loki has a right to exact revenge, but… if she has thought to do this much, I won’t allow it to escalate to something he cannot bounce back from… Now, our father plans for Loki to return home with him. He wants me to return as well, but I have no plans to do so. Neither does Loki,” Thor paused. “Steve,” he put his hand on his shoulder. “I will do whatever is in my power to make sure Loki stays here.” He clapped Steve on the back, departing quite suddenly.

 

“What nonsense was Thor raving about now?” Loki appeared beside him and shoved a drink into Steve’s hands, not even waiting for the answer. “Got you something from the bottle. I think someone already spiked the punch,” he explained rapidly.

 

“Thank you,” Steve responded with a smile and then shrugged, answering Loki’s next question. “Just nonsense about me being a petty commoner and all.”

 

Loki swore. “I can’t believe he’s getting involved.”

 

“He said he’s on your side. And he’ll try to keep you here.”

 

“Yeah, well, don’t hold your breath,” Loki said bitterly. After a long pause, and an awkward shifting of his feet, he added in a very quiet voice, “Steve, you know I don’t think-”

 

“I know,” Steve quickly jumped to the rescue. It was difficult to get Loki talking like this, so he’d make things as smooth as they could be. “Let’s just enjoy the evening together and worry about your father tomorrow.”

 

“Okay,” Loki responded simply and they lapsed into silence, watching their classmates dance.

 

Steve’s eye caught the DJ near the back of the gym and he was struck with a sudden idea. “One minute,” he promised and skirted around the edge of the gym alone, leaving Loki behind to stand near the bleachers. He made a quick request to the DJ, who nodded, and returned to Loki’s side.

 

“What was that about?” Loki asked suspiciously.

 

“Nothing.”

 

Loki definitely didn’t believe him, but he looked towards the door. “You know, instead of standing here, we could go make out in the hallway.”

 

“And get yelled at?”

 

“Steve, please give me some credit. We wouldn’t get caught.”

 

“Sorry to interrupt you boys,” Pepper approached them, her sparkingly blue dress reflecting the light around them, “but I just wanted to let you know I’m really glad the two of you came tonight. Especially you, Loki.”

 

“Thanks, Pepper,” Steve leaned forward and kissed her on the cheek. He really appreciated all of Pepper’s help and support. She was really the only voice of reason among his friends and probably was the only one who kept Tony completely sane.

 

“Yeah,” Loki agreed curtly.

 

Pepper looked like she was about to say something when the music changed to a familiar song. “Oh!” Pepper smiled in pleasant surprise. “I love this song!”

 

Loki, in contrast, frowned in dismay. “I hate this song.”

 

“I know this song!” Steve said excitedly, ignoring Loki’s just-for-show reaction. Steve knew Loki loved this song.

 

Tony appeared behind Pepper and wrapped his arms around her waist. “Dance with me, my pocketful of sunshine,” he offered the cheesy line with a completely serious face.

 

Pepper somehow managed to look annoyed and amused at the same time. “All right,” she rolled her eyes, but disappeared into the crowd with him.

 

“If you hate this song so much, why was it your ringtone?”

 

“It was a prank of Natasha’s,” Loki explained easily.

 

Steve, however, was skeptical. “Uh huh.”

 

“If you ever turned your volume on, you’d know she messes with your ringtone, too.”

 

“Come on, Loki,” Steve took his hand and pulled him onto the dance floor. Loki didn’t resist.

 

“How does one dance to this music anyways?”

 

“However they want, I guess?” Steve might have otherwise looked at what everyone else was doing. But he didn’t really care. He stopped in the midst of dancing students with Loki and shrugged sheepishly. “We’ve danced before.”

 

“I was drunk,” Loki countered.

 

Steve just smiled in response and tentatively started moving to the beat. Loki made a show of rolling his eyes, but joined Steve. In only took a few lines before they actually got the hang of dancing to the upbeat tune.

 

_“There’s a place that I go that nobody knows_

 

_Where the rivers flow. And I call it home. “_

 

“I feel ridiculous,” Loki grumbled during the quieter part of the song..

 

“Me, too. But i’m having fun.”

 

There was a long pause and, “me, too.”

 

_“There’s only butterflies.”_

 

Steve grabbed the back of Loki’s neck and pulled him into a crushing kiss. Loki’s body relaxed in his grip and his hands rested on Steve’s arms.

 

Maybe Loki’s father would win. Maybe Loki would be forced to leave the country. And maybe Steve would never see him again. There were a lot of dark unknowns ahead. But this moment… this moment was all right. This moment - stopped in the middle of the dance floor with their lips locked during a pop song at a school dance - might even be a little bit perfect.

 

**

 

“I called it.”

 

“Please, Tony, you did not call it,” Pepper let out a long-suffering sigh. Her former updo was now pulled back into a messy ponytail and the bottoms of her feet were filthy as she’d long abandoned her heels. At the end of the night, when the dance dissipated, they all piled back into the limo. However, the party was far from over. Thor was regaling Jane, Bruce, and Betty with a story of one of his football victories while they sipped on beers. Natasha and Clint were furthest away, but what they were talking about must have been hilarious because they were both laughing. And Loki and Steve were far too busy with each other’s mouths to pay attention.

 

“Think they’re going to do it?”

 

“Tony!” Pepper shot back, scandalized. “We’re dropping them off at Steve’s grandmother’s!”

 

“That doesn’t mean anything.”

 

Pepper made a face, ready with a retort, but the breaks of the limo squealed and they didn’t even have a moment to react before - CRASH!


	12. Reality Bites

Tony gasped in a breath of air, his lungs filling with dust and his world darkness. He grabbed at his face and his fingers were met with metal. “Get this off!” He shouted in a brief moment of panic and his visor flipped up. Pepper was over him, looking much different than the Pepper in his mind, but the look of worry was not unfamiliar to him.

 

“Are you okay?”

 

“Pretty sure,” Tony groaned as he sat up. Cap was closest to him besides Pepper, lying prone on the ground. Bruce was pushing himself to his feet unsteadily, now himself rather than the Hulk as he had been in the heat of battle. Natasha was standing, but looked as lost and disoriented as he did, only noticing after a moment that Clint was beside her, propped up against some rubble. Thor was the only one who didn’t seem thoroughly dazed. “Did anyone else have a particularly vivid recollection of an entire year in high school that never happened?” Tony asked as nonchalantly as possible, like asking if anyone had noticed how blue the sky was today.

 

“Oh god,” Pepper’s hand went to her mouth, her voice dropped to a disbelieving whisper. “You too?”

 

“Are we sure it never happened?” Natasha asked, leaning over Clint now to check on him. She glanced at the sky when she knelt, as if looking for answers in her surroundings. Or perhaps she was just checking to make sure they wouldn’t be attacked. Tony couldn’t be sure.

 

“God, I hope so,” Clint groaned, pushing himself up into a fully seated position. He seemed to be in quite a bit of pain, but not mortally injured. His sense of humor was still intact, at least. “Cap went to the school dance with Loki.”

 

Tony was about to check on the Captain, but Pepper, Clint, and Natasha’s eyes all turned to something behind him. Tony jumped to his feet, sensing the danger. Loki was standing behind him, covered in a thin layer of dust and rubble, looking quite a bit smaller than before the beginning of the battle, like he was less of a threat.

 

“Loki, what did you do?” Clint struggled to stand, but Natasha stopped him, pushing his shoulder down. She seemed wary, with her gun at the ready, but she didn’t immediately attack.

 

Loki, to his credit, looked as lost and confused as the others, his hand gripping his staff – different than the one Tony had seen previously - so hard his knuckles were white. Tony raised his hand to fire much later than he should have. And he should have blasted the Norse psycho into the sky, but he didn’t. Like Natasha, there was a sudden hesitation there that hadn’t been before. “I did not know what the artifact did. It was in your possession.”

 

“Shield’s possession,” Natasha corrected quietly.

 

“I had only heard rumors of what it could do. You set it off. Not me,” Loki’s stance had been forced into a casual one, though Tony thought he noticed a brief wince of pain, his hands held up innocently.

 

“Yeah, and you stealing it had nothing to do with setting it off,” Tony replied sarcastically. Loki was approaching briskly and Tony knew he shouldn’t let him. He should stop him. But all he could see was that stupid seventeen year old kid who was cornered at Rhodey’s party by a perverted date that Tony and Rhodey hauled off him. That kid who stood up to a group shouting slurs at him outside of school. That idiot who almost gave his boyfriend a handjob at the cafeteria table. It didn’t make it impossible to shoot at him. But it made it a hell of a lot harder. Tony and Loki weren’t even close, but it was much harder to kill someone who might actually be a decent person. Someone he knew. And inside, there was someone he might have almost not hated. Then again, he did try to destroy New York. So, it was push and pull.

 

Loki stood over Steve, brows furrowed… in concern? “He is not gravely injured,” he said after a moment, his voice carefully stoic. He nudged Steve with his foot and Steve’s eyes fluttered open, drawing a deep breath. Natasha was on guard, but, like Tony, she was letting Loki approach Steve. She had a much better read on people than Tony did, so he trusted her decision to not fire on the god.

 

“Loki,” a warm smile spread across Steve’s lips, one reserved for the people he was closest to. At Loki’s confused and frightened expression, the smile dissipated quickly. “What-“ he glanced around as he propped himself into a sitting position with some difficulty. “What happened?” He asked Tony. “Loki!” He was on guard now, attempting to get to his feet whilst grabbing his shield.  

 

Loki’s expression contorted to one of pain before he vanished into thin air.

 

Steve was gasping, trying to catch his breath as soon as Loki was out of sight. Bruce knelt down beside him and checked his pulse. “Are you okay?”

 

Steve nodded. “Yeah. Yeah,” he tried to wave off Bruce’s concern quickly as he glanced in the direction of the strange green shard. “What was that?”

 

***

 

“Fury and Hill were not in range and they have no memories of the whole… thing,” Tony waved his hand. He was repeating something they’d already considered, but they were going in circles at this point anyways. Seven times in two weeks they’d met to talk about the whole experience. Usually not all of them at once, but Steve had been to every single meeting. Both he and Tony were considered somehow central to what happened, so they’d met with Fury and Hill about it and with the other Avengers. Steve wasn’t sure he was so important. After all, everyone had been central in their own lives. But they thought since Steve was the “new kid,” he might be different. And, though it remained unspoken for all of their meetings but one, Steve’s connection with Loki throughout their pretend year was somehow unique and important. No one cared about Natasha’s relationship with him because she didn’t kiss him or think about him naked. That he knew of. Not that Steve openly admitted the latter.

 

Of course, they had all gone on record about the events that happened to them. Steve and Natasha in particular were grilled for more information on Loki. But knowing Loki usually bought calzones in the cafeteria on Wednesdays really didn’t help them learn anything about him.  Not about this Loki, at least.

“It’s likely their images were drawn from our minds,” Natasha replied to him boredly, having the same answer as she did each time it was brought up. “Look, Stark, we’ve been over this dozens of times with now new information. At this point, it’s just wasting everyone’s time.”

 

“Natasha’s right,” Steve said after a moment of silence. “It was obviously real to us. We felt everything. We felt physical pain,” that was one of the ways they reasoned it couldn’t have been a very elaborate dream. And because dreams never lasted nearly a year long. “But, to the rest of the world, it never existed. That school never existed and those people were only figments of our own minds, not the real thing.” Although, Steve had wondered if Amora was pulled from someone in Loki’s life - one of his former enemies perhaps? After all, Thor had imagined his friends there, and they’d imagined Maria Hill and Agent Coulson and Nick Fury… “We didn’t even lose any time. And it seems like that’s all we’re going to get on it for now. You and Bruce are examining the shard for an explanation, but until we get answers there, I think we should just hold off on the meetings until we have new information.”

 

Although they wanted answers, they were all exhausted. The meeting ended there. Steve rubbed his eyes as he heard chairs scraping against the floor. If he’d been looking, he would have noticed Natasha had made no move to get up - rather staring at Steve intently. When Clint caught this, he glanced between them curiously, but she made a small gesture for him to leave.

 

When the door finally clicked shut, Steve looked up. He wasn’t surprised to see Natasha still sitting there. “So, are we going to talk about what’s going on with you or are you going to bear your troubles in silence and continue to mope?” She asked casually.

 

Steve sighed. “I’m not moping.”

 

“Okay,” Natasha’s tone indicated she obviously didn’t believe him. She ran her hands over the glass tabletop patiently. Steve glanced at the door. He could just leave… but Natasha wasn’t done. Even if she didn’t approach him today, she would a different day. And she could find him even if he left for outer Mongolia.

 

“You know, I had a better time at that school than my real one.” It had always been him and Bucky against the world. And while Bucky had been more than enough, it was nice not to be constantly picking fights with bullies - not that he didn’t pick one or two in the other world (old habits die hard) - and it was nice to have a multitude of friends. And, you know, a significant other which he’d never even dreamed of having in high school before. “In a way, I kind of wish it had been real.”

 

“Even the parts with Loki?” Natasha asked, her voice not betraying any emotion in the question.

 

Especially the parts with Loki, but Steve wouldn’t voice it. He, instead, shrugged. “It just makes it difficult. I need to separate this world’s Loki from the one I knew there.”

 

“Why?”

 

“Why?” Steve repeated, disbelief making his brow furrow. “Because this one’s a murdering psychopath, maybe?”

 

“Maybe,” Natasha repeated mysteriously. “But, you know, we were all really us underneath it all. That other me never did anything I wouldn’t have done. My life situation there may have been different - very different,” she paused as she glanced out the window. “But my personality and decisions were still very much the same. As, I think, were yours.”

 

Of course they were. Steve had still felt very much like himself. And, no, none of the decisions he made were ones he disagreed with. Except in the “hindsight is 20-20” sort of way. Like that whole “playing both sides” deal or not following Loki after he was clearly upset at that first party. Even then, he found he didn’t regret dating Loki. It had, in all honesty, been one of the best things to ever happen to him. After years of being picked on and looked over, his parents dying, then the war, losing Bucky, losing everything he knew, spending his life as a soldier… He’d finally had a semi-normal life. And being with Loki made him happy. Happier than he’d been in a long time. In that world, it had been incredible. But in this world, it wouldn’t be possible. “So you think that was still Loki in this world? That he has the potential to be like that?”

 

Natasha raised an eyebrow, her look making it clear that that had been exactly what she’d been implying. “Thor didn’t seem to think any of it was out of character for him.”

 

The idea that this Loki was anything like the one in the other world was simply not an idea he could entertain. Loki had murdered people. Loki had tried to destroy New York. And, God, Steve missed him. But it didn’t matter if he did. He wanted to be with the crass, teenaged Loki he’d met in the other world. Not the evil one in theirs. “I need to go,” he finally stood up.

 

“All I’m saying, Steve, is sometimes people don’t start out on the right side. There are things you regret. Lives you’ve taken that you can’t get back,” it took a moment for Steve to realize she was talking about herself. “But if there is the potential for good in there, it’ll win as long as you want it to. Have a reason for it to.”

 

Steve glanced back at her, but remained silent before walking out.

 

*

 

“I just don’t understand it.”

 

“There are a lot of things about the past month that we probably shouldn’t try to understand, Loki,” Natasha deadpanned, picking at her nails. She was sitting on her bed, position utterly relaxed with her bare feet tucked close to her body. She was leaning against the pillows on the headboard, dressed in sweatpants and a t-shirt. Looking considerably less at ease beside her was Loki, wearing leather pants and his signature black, gold, and green coat. Natasha had been able to talk him out of his boots, citing the danger to the cleanliness of her bed, and his armor, but that was all. He was half reclined against the headboard, though stiff as a board. His fists clenched every once in a while as if he didn’t know what to do with his hands.

 

It was night and the room was dark, but permeated by the bright lights of the city streaming in through the closed curtains. Natasha had thought to turn a lamp on, but she knew she was dealing with a deer in headlights here. She didn’t want to spook Loki, not after his third visit to her when it was just seeming like he might be like the young man she’d called her best friend.

 

Of course, Loki hadn’t come to her. She’d found him. After all, different though their situations were, in the end, they’d all been pretty close semblances of themselves in the other universe. She quite liked that Loki. She knew from Thor that Loki had not always been such a bastard and the fact that he’d actually seemed… happy about their meeting meant he wasn’t a lost cause.

 

She noticed Loki was frowning at her, so she let her expression slide into a patient, but slightly condescending smirk. “What don’t you understand?”

 

“Any of it. About what happened, about what we’re doing now… and about what I should do.”

 

“Well, as for what happened - the shard created an alternate reality for only people within a certain radius. What we’re doing now… we’re sharing my bed and a shaky, possibly temporary truce. And what you should be doing is contacting Steve.”

 

“What?” Loki asked sharply.

 

“Don’t make it complicated, Loki. It’s already complicated enough. Look, I don’t trust you at all. But I did trust you in that other world. So there might be someone underneath all that worth giving trust to. For now, I’ll keep a loaded gun on me at all times,” she patted her hip.

 

“I’m failing to see your point about Steve.”

 

“Steve feels the same way I do. Except he doesn’t get these little visits from you. He misses you. The Loki he saw in the other world.”

 

“You’re right - it is complicated. I can’t pursue him in this world. We’re enemies, on opposite sides of a war-”

 

“Loki, you’ve never been on anyone’s side but your own.” And he could make that any side he wished. Natasha knew that position well. For a long time, she’d chosen sides. But there was a time when the only person she’d looked out for was herself. And if Loki could see choosing Steve’s side as looking out for himself…

 

“He’s mortal, you know. He’s probably only got… what? Seventy - eighty years left?”

 

Natasha’s brow furrowed in surprise. “How long do you think we live?”

 

“A hundred,” he clearly had a vague estimate as he waved his hand. But the number seemed like it had more concern for him than it may have had previously.

 

“Not usually,” Natasha frowned. “And not with Steve’s sense of self-preservation - that is to say he has none.”

 

“You’re doing a really bad job of trying to talk me into this,” Loki was looking at her now, a brief reflection of the confused teen who was attracted to one of his best friends.

 

“My point is - if you want this to happen, you don’t have a lot of time,” Natasha spelled out for him. “The more you waste trying to decide if this is what you want to do, the less time you’d have with Steve.”

 

Loki stared into space for a very long time. Natasha could see him weighing the possibilities in his head. “And how am I supposed to contact him? Certainly I can’t appear in his room. I’d get a shield to the head.”

 

“I doubt that would hurt you too much,” Natasha snorted. She would leave no room for excuses. She opened her nightstand and tossed him the throwaway cell phone she’d purchased. “Talk to him,” she said as he caught it with ease. “Steve’s number is programmed in there. You do remember how to use a phone, don’t you?”

 

Loki examined it. “I’ve had better,” he frowned, but disappeared from the bed, reappearing a second later standing beside it, now with his boots and armor on.

 

“Oh, and, Loki, every time you and I have gone head to head, I’ve come out on top. And after eight months together, I doubt you would underestimate me now. So don’t do anything that will make me have to find you. It won’t end well for you.”

 

Loki narrowed his eyes, but instead of retorting, his image dissipated from the room.

 

Now, she just had to wait.

 

*

 

Steve paced his apartment, fidgeting with his keys. He didn’t hadn’t sat them down since he returned from his motorcycle ride. Neither the ride nor the pacing had him any closer to deciding what he wanted to do.

 

Maybe he should give Loki a chance. After all, no one was irredeemable. He just had to know if Loki was willing. If there were still feelings on Loki’s end. He had thought, for a moment, that there was a look on Loki’s face when he’d first woken up. One of concern. He wanted that back.

 

He finally sat down and decided to watch a movie. Get his mind off things. _The Breakfast Club_ was playing on one of the channels and he sunk back into the couch.

 

_“I got a pocket, got a pocket full of sunshine. I got a love and I know that it’s all mine-”_

 

Steve jumped up from his seat. Where was that music coming from? He shuffled the papers on his desk, since it seemed to be coming from there. He found his phone under the morning’s newspaper and he stared at the screen announcing his caller.

 

_“The sun is on my side. Take me for a ride. I smile up the sky-”_

 

He pressed the answer button and held the phone up to his ear with hesitation. “Loki?”

 

_I know I’ll be all right._


End file.
